


Kiss With a Fist

by natgayvanlis



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff, crime fighting hizzie, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:01:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 66,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24626674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/natgayvanlis/pseuds/natgayvanlis
Summary: Hope Mikaelson is Mystic Falls’ well respected Detective during her time, she resolves every homicide there is in no time - but, what happens if she meets a well known murder and mystery author, Lizzie Saltzman who is very persistent  to write a story inspired by her.ORThe 2009 TV series Castle - inspired Hizzie fanfic nobody asked for.
Relationships: Hope Mikaelson/Lizzie Saltzman, Penelope Park/Josie Saltzman
Comments: 85
Kudos: 128





	1. Flowers for Your Grave

**Author's Note:**

> So, I really, really love this TV series and since I have been doing random episode rewatch of this series I couldn't help myself but to picture Hope and Lizzie as Beckett and Castle - so after a couple of days debating of who would be the detective and who would be the author, voila! I finally decide on writing this one. 
> 
> Each chapters will be completely based off on my favorite episodes from all the 8 seasons of the series, some of the conversations/dialogues will also be base on the show. 
> 
> However, I made a few changes, since Lizzie is taking the character of Castle who has a daughter on the series, I decided to change Alexis' role to Josie's and Martha, Richard's mom will be played by Caroline but she wouldn't be as old as the one on the series. 
> 
> And yes, Alaric is not on this story he's off in a different island now on his own.

**DISCLAIMER: WHILE THIS STORY IS MAINLY ABOUT DETECTIVES AND COPS, I STILL HATE THE COPS IN REAL LIFE. AND IF IN ANY WAY THE STORY MIGHT OFFEND ANYONE OR DISRESPECT BLM, PLEASE FREE TO LET ME KNOW SO I CAN HAVE IT TAKEN DOWN.**

* * *

Hope was already driving on her way home when her phone starts to ring, she grabs it on the passenger seat and sighs when she sees it was MG calling her.

“Mikaelson.”

“Hey, Hope.” MG starts “Sorry I know you’re on your way home but we need you here at the crime scene.

“Alright, where is that located?” She asks.

“It’s at a downtown hotel, The Rousseau's.”

“Alright, I think I’m a couple of blocks away. Be there in 15 minutes tops.”

“Okay. See you and be careful.”

“Thanks, MG.”

  
  


Unbeknownst to Hope and her team, on the other side of the hotel is an ongoing book launch of Author, Lizzie Saltzman.

As the event’s host was introducing the new book of Lizzie, Hope and her team continues to investigate the murder that had taken place.

“Who are you?” Hope asks the dead body in front of her, as if it would give her the answer she needs to solve this murder case.

“Alison Gilbert.” MG answers her question. “24, graduate student at Mystic Falls University - part of the Social Work Program.” MG continues to explain.

“Nice place for a social worker.”

“Daddy’s money.” Kaleb interrupts.

“Other guests on this floor were complaining about her loud music, then when one of the hotel staff came to talk to her, she wasn’t answering so they decided to open her hotel room and this is what they found out.” Kaleb continues.

“There’s no signs of any struggles.” Hope continues to check on the victim’s cold body. “I think that whoever did this, knew her - he even brought her flowers. 

“Agree. I mean, look at how he placed the flowers aesthetically to her entire body. He definitely made sure to cover everything.” MG says as he moves closer on the other side of the dead body.

“So Penelope, what else did he give her aside from these flowers?” Hope asks the forensics analysts who also happens to be her best friend.

“Two shots to the chest, small caliber.” Penelope answers as she points to wounds on the victim’s chest.

“Does this look familiar to anyone?” Hope asks.

“No, but I’m not the one with a thing for a freaky one.” Kaleb jokes.

“That’s true though. I mean, look how he left her covered modestly.” Penelope says.

“So?” MG asks.

“So despite all of the effort, all of the preparation, you wouldn’t find any evidence of sexual abuse.”

“You really got that from just this?” MG asks as he points to the body covered in flowers.

“Plus, I’ve seen this before.” Penelope continues.

“You’ve seen this before? Where?” Hope asks.

“Roses on her body, sunflowers on her eyes? Don’t you guys ever read?” She deadpans. 

**

“What kind of idiot author kills her best selling main-character?” Josie asks her sister after they had finished the press conference for Lizzie’s book.

“Wait, are you my blood sucking publicist or my blood -sucking twin sister?” Lizzie answers. 

“Oh, is that what you are doing?”

“Hey-- I thought you were reading my books?” Lizzie asks her sister, obviously offended that Josie had not seen this coming.

“I do. Of course. I just really didn’t expect you to end the main character that way.”

“Oh come on Jo, I may be petty and shortsighted, but I'm not that petty and shortsighted.”

“Really? Then why?”

“Writing David used to be fun. Now it's like work.” Lizzie shrugs as she explains further to her sister.

“Mm. God forbid you should work.” Josie continued as the twins sat at the bar, “I mean, you could have retired him. You could have crippled him. You could have had him join the circus. But, no, you had to put a bullet through his head.” Josie finishes her sentences, by throwing her hands for added drama.

“Yeah, real messy, too. Big exit wound. Ah, don't worry sis, David Stevens is not the golden goose here. I am. Remember I wrote half a dozen bestsellers before him. What makes you think I’m gonna stop now?” Lizzie asks before she orders tequila.

“Oh, I don’t know. The fact that new book was due nine weeks ago?”

“You can't rush a genius.” Lizzie continues to tease her sister. 

“Genius, Lizzie? Try blockage. I swear to God, If I don't have a new manuscript on my desk in the next three weeks, you better start looking for a new publicist.”

“Hey, you can’t do that to your sister.”

“Oh watch me.” Josie says as she downs her shot.

“Ms. Saltzman?” 

“Yes?” The twins answered in unison. 

“Uh which one of you is Lizzie Saltzman?” 

“That would be me. Where do you want me to sign you?” Lizzie asks.

“Detective Hope Mikaelson, MFPD. We need to ask you a few questions. About a murder that took place earlier tonight.” 

“Wait. Are you arresting my sister?” Josie interrupts.

“No. We just need to ask her a few questions.” 

“Let’s go.”

  
**  
  


“Ms. Saltzman. I see you’ve got quite a rap sheet for a best-selling author. Disorderly conduct, uh resisting arrest?”

“Those were a long time ago. I’ve changed, you see.”

“It says here that you stole a police horse?”

“Borrowed. Not stolen.”

“Ah, and every time, the charges were dropped.”

“What can I say? The Mayor is a fan.” Lizzie answers, making Hope agitated by the second. “But if it makes you feel any better, I'd be happy to let you spank me.”

“Ms. Saltzman, this whole "bad girl charm" thing that you've got going might work for others, but not with me especially when there’s a murder that may or not involve you, so please cooperate.” Hope says as she sits down on the chair across Lizzie.

“Okay.” Lizzie huffs on her chair.

Hope then opens the folder and places the photos in front of Lizzie.

“Alison Gilbert, daughter of a real estate mogul.”

“She’s cute.”

“She’s dead, Saltzman.” Hope replies, “Did you ever meet her? Book signing? Charity event?”

“Not sure. I mean, she's not in my little black book, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“What about this guy?” Hope lays another photo in front of Lizzie. "Marvin Hayes, small claims lawyer?”

“Most of my claims tend to be on the, um, large side.” Lizzie shrugs “So what does this have to do with me?” 

“Hayes was found murdered in his office two weeks ago. I didn’t put it together until we saw the Gilbert crime scene tonight.” Hope pulls out another photo from the folder and shows it again to Lizzie.

"Flowers for your grave." Lizzie says, impressed by what she sees in the photos.

“And this is how we found Marvin Hayes, right out of “Hell Hath No Fury.” Hope said as she yet again pulls out a photo to show Lizzie.

“Looks like I have a fan.” Lizzie said smugly.

“Yeah, a really deranged fan.”

“Oh, you don't look deranged to me.”

“What?”

"Hell hath no fury -- Angry wiccans out for blood. Come on. Only hardcore Saltzman groupies read that one.” 

“Do any of these groupies ever write you letters? Disturbing letters?”

“Oh, all my fanmail is disturbing. It's an occupational hazard.”

“Because sometimes in cases like this, we find that the killer attempts to--”

“Killer attempts to contact the subject of his obsession. I'm also pretty well-Versed in psychopathic methodologies.” Lizzie explains why she was familiar with this kind of methodology. “Another occupational hazard." She then continues, "and do you know you have gorgeous eyes?”

Hope ignores what Lizzie had just said, hoping that she wasn't blushing; “So I take it that you won't have any objections to us going through your mail?” 

“Knock yourself out, detective. Also, can I get a copy of those?” She asks Hope.

“A copy?”

“Ah you know, I have this weekly dinner with my fellow authors and I’m sure they would be so jealous to find out that I have a copycat. Oh, my gosh. In my world, that's the red badge of honor. That's the criminal cooperstown.”

“You know what Ms. Saltzman, people are dead-”

Lizzie then rolls her eyes, as she continues, “I'm not asking for the bodies, just the pictures--”

“I think we’re done here, Ms. Saltzman.”

**

“Oh, Lizzie. Thank God you’re home. What happened?” Josie asks as soon as her twin enters their house.

“Hey, Jo.”

“Lizzie, talk to me. Are you in some kind of trouble?”

“Despite my best efforts, no.” Lizzie answers as she enters her bedroom with Josie in tow. “They want my help on a case.”

“A case?” Josie asks, her confusion grows by a second.

“Yeah, apparently, someone's been killing people the way I kill them in my books.”

“That’s horrible.” 

“Yeah.”

“How many?”

“Two so far.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. It's just so senseless.”

“Murder usually is.”

When Lizzie had finally stood up from where she was looking at the books she had previously written, she then answers Josie, “No, murder usually makes a great deal of sense--passion, greed, politics. What's senseless here is the books that the killer chose.” Lizzie holds out the books in her hands for Josie to see, “Hell hath no fury, Flowers for your grave-- You know my truly lesser works. Why would a psychotic fan pick those?”

“Maybe because he's psychotic?” Josie says. “Come on. It’s bedtime. You can figure this out in the morning.”

  
  


**

The next day, Hope came into the office with boxes of books which were written by Lizzie.

“What are those?” MG asks as he sees Hope carrying a box full of books.

“Saltzman's greatest hits. You're gonna familiarize yourselves with all of her murder scenes, so we don't miss any.”

“Got any on tape?” MG teases as he hands some of the books to his partner, Kaleb.

Hope continues talking to the boys, showing the photos of their victims. “First victim-- Male lawyer. Second victim-- Female social worker. Somewhere in these books, those two are connected.”

"From the library of Hope Mikaelson." MG teases as he reads what is written in the book.

“Do you have a problem with reading, Greasley?”

“Yo, check it, girl. You're totally a fan.” Kaleb says

“Right, of the genre.”

“Right, the genre that's why you're blushing.” Kaleb joins in making fun of Hope.

“What are you, 12? Profiling indicates a perp with low intelligence. Someone who has or thinks he has a personal relationship with our author. So that’s where we start.” Hope explains to the boys before she leaves and moves to her desk.

Kaleb then follows Hope on her desk and stares at her.

“What?”

“I work dead bodies all day. The last thing I want to do when I go home is read murder books.” 

“Aren't you curious?”

“Curious?”

“About how people can do these kinds of things to one another. I mean, look, whoever did this, read Saltzman's books, and somewhere in those pages is the answer to where he'll strike next.”

“Okay.”

After two hours of non-stop researching, Hope went to another detective who is also helping them with the case. Alongside, Hope are two officers carrying boxes on each of their hands,

“Is all that Saltzman's mail?”

“Her fans loves her, almost as much as she loves herself. Can you take that back to the briefing, please?” Hope asks her fellow detective who just sighs in answer to her question.

“Did we hear back from the lab?” She asks Kaleb who shows up next to her.

“Yeah, the scene was negative for DNA and prints, just like Hayes - the guy's careful.”

“What about Gilbert and Hayes, any connection?”

“Other than your girl there? No.” Hope looks over her shoulder to where Kaleb was pointing and sees Lizzie standing there with her captain.

“What's she doing here?”

“Maybe she likes you.” Kaleb says before he went back to his desk.

“Detective Mikaelson.”

“Captain?”

“Come over here, please”

“Yes sir?”

“Ms. Saltzman offered to assist with the investigation.”

“Really?”

“It's the least I can do for the city I love.” Lizzie smugly answers.

“Considering the nature of the crime scenes, I think it's a good idea.” The captain explains further to Hope.

“Sir, can I talk to you for a minute, in private?"

“Nope.”

Hope and Lizzie then spent the afternoon reading through the letters that were sent to Lizzie by her fans for them to continue searching on the possible murderer.

As Lizzie was reading one of the letters, she couldn’t help but to sneak a glance at Hope who is right across from her.

“What?” Hope asks as she finally notices what the other girl was doing.

“Nothing. No, it's just, uh, the way your brow furrows when you're thinking-- I think it’s cute. I mean, not if you were playing poker, then it'd be deadly, but otherwise…”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Shoot.”

“Why are you here? You don't care about the victims, so you aren't here for justice. You don't care that the guy's aping your books, so you aren’t here ‘cause you’re outraged. So what is it Liz? Are you here to annoy me?”

“Liz huh? We are going in for a nickname already, I think that’s too early considering you haven’t asked me for a coffee. And to answer your question, I'm here for the story."

“The story? 

“I mean, why those victims? Why those murders?"

“You know, sometimes there is no story. Sometimes the guy is just a psychopath.”  
  


“Nope. There's always a story. Always a chain of events that makes everything make sense.” Lizze finally put down the letter she was holding to continue explaining to Hope. “Take you, for example. Under normal circumstances, you should not be here. Most smart, good looking women become lawyers, not cops. And yet, here you are. Why?”

“I don’t know, Liz” Hope then challenges Lizzie, “You're the novelist. You tell me.”

“Well, you're not bridge and tunnel. No trace of the boroughs when you talk, so that means being a detective, that means money. You went to prep school, probably a pretty good one--”

“What makes you think I went to a prep school?” Hope suddenly asks, as she takes off her glasses.

“Well I think, sorry for the term but I think you’re stupid and rich.”

“Excuse me, I’m actually clever and poor.” Hope answers, getting agitated with this conversation again, seems like every conversation she has with Lizzie irritates her.

“Oh no, preppie, I’m clever and poor” Lizzie smirks as she continues.

Hope knows she looks rich, hell, Lizzie also no, she’s actually really rich so Hope couldn’t help but no wonder where this conversation is heading, so she then continues entertaining the questioning of the blonde- “Oh no, I’m actually clever and poor.”

Lizzie just grinned at her and asked “What makes you think you’re clever then?”

“I’m not going for a coffee with you.” She answers Lizzie. "Listen - I’m not going to ask you.” Hope continues to glare at the other girl.

Lizzie then answers Hope, “See, that’s what makes you stupid.”

Silence fell between the two of them before Lizzie continued, “Actually, something tells me that something happened. Not to you. No, you're wounded, but you're not that wounded. No, it was somebody you cared about. It was someone you loved, and you probably could've lived with that. But the person responsible was never caught. And that, Detective Mikaelson, is why you're here.”

Hope was trying her best to hold back her tears as she stared at Lizzie, wondering how this girl she had just met clearly read her, she wonders too if all authors are like this, good at reading people. She then answers “Cute trick. But don't think you know me.”

“The point is, there's always a story. You--You just have to find it.”

“I think I just did.” Hope said, changing the subject. “Lab's got lifts off the letter.” She says as she shows Lizzie a sketch of the crime scene was planned.

“Whose?”

“The system's backlogged. It'll take a week to run a match.”

“A week?”

“Welcome to reality, superstar.”

“Well, never did much like reality.” Lizzie says before she pulls out her phone and makes a call. 

_“Mayor's office.”_

_“Hi, Dianne. It's Lizzie. Is dad available right now?”_

_“Hi Lizzie, yeah he’s here. Hold on.”_

Lizzie then excuses herself from the room to talk to her dad. 

“She’s the mayor’s daughter?” MG asked in surprise.

“I didn’t know that.”

After a few minutes, Lizzie went back inside again. “Okay, you will have your prints in an hour.”

“Ms. Saltzman?" Hope motions for Lizzie to come closer to her.

“Half of the guys here are waiting for prints. You don't just jump the line just because the Mayor is your father.”

“Stepdad.” 

“What?”

“Mayor Stefan Salvatore is my stepdad I mean.”

“Regardless. We have procedure, protocol.”

“Yeah, and you always come to a complete stop at a red light and you never fudge your taxes. Tell me something. Do you ever have any fun? You know, let your hair down? Drop your top? A little "cops gone wild"?”

“You do know i'm wearing a gun?” 

Before Lizzie could give another witty reply, a detective cut them off, “Mikaelson, midtown. They just found another one.”

The team then goes to the location, at a condominium’s pool area. When they got there, a body was floating in the middle of the pool with a knife on her back.

"Death of a prom queen." Lizzie whispered the moment she saw the body.

“Maintenance found her an hour ago. Kendra Philips. She lives in the building.” An officer fills in Hope of the details of the murder.

“All right. Let's get her out of the water.” She orders the officer, and before she heads out to other police she then warns Lizzie “Um, you just stay here and don't touch anything.”

However, Lizzie noticed Penelope checking the dead body and since Lizzie knows the girl, she went and approached her to ask questions about the body.

“Hey Pen, didn’t know you work here.”

“Lizzie?” Penelope asks in surprise, “What are you doing here? Is Jojo okay?

“Relax. She’s okay. I’m here with Hope.”

Before Penelope can say anything again, Hope approaches them;

“I thought I told you to stay over there.”

“I got lonely.”

Hope then ignores Lizzie and goes to ask Penelope, “You got a COD?”

“Not until the full exam. But this wasn't a stabbing.”

“Lack of blood around the wound suggests she was dead before it was inserted. No foam around the mouth, so we know she didn't drown.”

“Didn’t know you were this good, Lizzie.”

“You two know each other?” 

“I’m dating her sister.”

"She's dating my sister"

“Yeah, yeah. She was killed first and then posed, just like the others.” Lizzie continues.

“Yeah. I know. Can I have a word?” Hope says as she grabs Lizzie by the arm and takes her to the side.

“Something wrong?”

“May I just remind you that this is a homicide investigation, not a day at disneyland. If I give you an order, I expect you to obey it.”

“Then you don't know me very well. You know, in my book, the dress was blue.”

“Stop trying to change the subject, Saltzman.”

“Did Gilbert and Hayes know each other?”

“We haven't found a connection. Why?”

“What about motive?”

“He's a serial killer. He doesn't need a motive.” Hope answers before taking a call.

“They got a match off the print.” She informs her colleagues. “Kyle Calvins-- He's on the other side of Mystic Falls. We got him.”

Hope, Lizzie, together with Hope’s team went to an apartment where Kyle is located.

“Stay here.” Hope orders Lizzie before she rushes inside the building, leaving Lizzie to whisper “Scouts honor.”

“Kyle Calvins! MFPD! Open up!” When Hope didn’t hear an answer she immediately kicked down the door and they all entered and searched for Kyle.

MG then yells one more time - “Kyle Calvins! MFPD!”

“Room clear. Room clear.” Every officer with them calls out as they search around the apartment. 

And as they continue browsing through the apartment, Hope sees different photos scattered on the floor. Mostly images of Alison Gilbert, Marvin Hayes and even photos of Lizzie Saltzman. Lizzie’s books can also be found on Kyle’s bookshelf. Even sketches of the crime scene were on the floor too. Hope grabs one of Lizzie’s books off the bookshelf and was surprised to see that there were more drawings of plans on how to kill other people.

“Mikaelson, you gotta see this.” Kaleb calls out from one of the rooms. When Hope gets there, what she sees surprises her even more. The room was full of cut out articles about Lizzie, more of her books and more of her photos.

“Oh that’s creepy.” Lizzie appears all of a sudden.

“Didn’t I tell you to stay in the car?” Hope reprimands.

“Sorry, Hope. I was never a scout.”

“Hey, Mikaelson.” MG calls her as he shows her a white blouse, the one Alison was wearing on one of the photos on the floor.

“Alison's blouse. I'm guessing he kept trophies.”

As MG continued to search the place, he came across a gun. “.22 caliber.”

The team got interrupted when they heard a noise coming from a cabinet, Hope immediately rushed over with her gun pointed towards the cabinet. “Show me your hands! Hands in the air!” She says as she opens the cabinet’s door. "Let us see your hands, Calvins! Let me see your hands!”

When Kyle finally went out from his hiding, the team had escorted him to the station for them to interrogate.

**

“He's still not speaking.” Hope tells her captain. “State medical records indicate he's got pervasive developmental disorder.”

“Well, that explains his fixation with me.” Lizzie said. “P.D.D. Sometimes manifests in an obsession with a single subject."

“Yeah, well, your superfan also has a history of delusions. Guess who his case worker was.”

“Alison Gilbert?”

“Yeah. Her files indicate that he was on pretty heavy antipsychotics.”

“Limited intelligence, thinks he has a personal relationship with his hero--” Captain Hudson interrupts, “Looks like your profile was right, Detective Mikaelson.”

“So... what, that--that's it?” Lizzie asks obviously not satisfied with the investigation and the arrest of Kyle Calvins.

“What more do you want? Evidence is in his apartment,” Captain Hudson explains to Lizzie, “We can connect him with the three victims-- Two from the diner where he worked, and Gilbert was his social worker. Call the DA and Get him legal aid.”

“Okay sir.”

“I'm--That's, uh, it's too easy. The reader would never buy it.”

“This isn't one of your books Saltzman, out here, we find a guy standing over a body with a gun. He's usually the guy who did it.” Hope explains to Lizzie before she went back to her desk. 

It was already night time when Hope, MG, and Kaleb had the chance to discuss further the case. 

“You know this kid was in and out of the system for years? Doesn't seem like he ever got the proper treatment. Until Alison Gilbert took over his case file. She's the one who got him a job at the diner, and her notes seem to say he's doing okay.” Hope says as she reads through Kyle’s files.

“Well, you can let the DA worry about all that now. Our job is done.” MG tells Hope.

Kaleb was just about to carry out the box of evidence towards their storage room, when Hope stopped him, “Hey, um, can you leave the box? I'll take care of it tomorrow.”

Later that evening, Lizzie was out for dinner with her fellow authors, catching up on their recent life events and writings.

“Lizzie, I'm kinda glad that you killed off Stevens”. One of the writers comments about Lizzie’s protagonist on her latest launched book. “Less competition, you know?” 

Lizzie was completely out of focus during this dinner and her friends noticed it too.

“I know that look-- Story trouble.” One of them says.

“Yeah, you never should've killed off Stevens.” Another one made a comment. “That was a big mistake. I would've retired him. Or crippled him. I mean, the man was money.”

“You don't see me putting a bullet through Alex Cross' head.” She now talks about the main character in her own book.

“So what's the problem, Lizzie? One of Lizzie’s fellow authors asks her. “Maybe we can help?”

  
  


“I'm working on this thing. It starts with a famous author.” Lizzie begins. “Some psycho starts staging murders, like the way he does in his books.”

“That's pretty self-aggrandizing, isn't it?” One makes a joke.

“This is Lizzie we're talking about.”

Lizzie then continues with her story “So...the crime scenes are clean. Doesn't leave any fingerprints. Doesn't leave any DNA, but the psycho writes the author a fan letter with his prints all over it. Well, that leads the cops to his apartment, where they find enough evidence to convict him.” 

“And then?”

“That’s it.” Lizzie says before she takes a sip from her glass of wine.

“That’s it” One of her friends asked.

“Yeah. They arrest him.

“That's terrible. No wonder you're blocked.”

“And here's another thing--” One of Lizzie’s friends, Marga says “The guy doesn't leave his prints at the scene of the crime, but he sends a letter with his prints on it?” Lizzie nods. “Ah, you lost me there. And what about a twist?”

Samantha then chimes in, “Yeah, right. Like, uh... like, maybe somebody set this kid up. That's what your story needs-- the character who thinks the kid's innocent, keeps digging until he finds the truth.”

“Oh, I have just the guy.” Lizzie concludes smiling.

**

The next day, Hope comes running towards her desk when she sees Lizzie snooping her files on her desk.

“What are you doing?” Hope asks as soon as she gets to where Lizzie is.

“It's a novelist's habit-- Poking through other people's mail, checking their medicine cabinets.”

“Why are you still here?”

“I just came by to give you this. It's a little something to...memorialize our brief partnership. Don't look so suspicious. Go on, open it.” Lizzie said as she finally handed over Hope her gift.

It was her latest book. “I got you an advance copy. I even signed it to you. Not that you're a fan.”

“Thanks. That's actually kind of...sweet.” Hope answers after she had opened the gift coming from Lizzie.

“Well…”

“Well…”

“It was nice to have met you, Detective Mikaelson” Lizzie leans in to kiss Hope on her cheek before she leaves the station. Which leaves Hope blushing but still suspicious towards Lizzie’s actions, and true to her suspicions, Lizzie actually did take something coming from the files.

  
  


Later that afternoon---

“Elizabeth Saltzman, you are under arrest for felony theft and obstruction of justice.” Hope declares as she kicks the door at the Saltzman's apartment.

“Oh Hope, You forgot making you look bad as one of my charges.” She teases the detective.

“You know, for a minute there, you actually made me believe that you were human.”

“Cuff him.” Hope orders one of the officers with her.

“Ooh! Bondage. My safe word is "apples."

“Oh, there's no need to be gentle.”

“How'd you find me anyway?”

“I'm a detective. That's what I do.”

“Penelope told you, didn't she?”

As Lizzie is being escorted outside of their apartment, she yells over her shoulder to Hope. 

“By the way, the rose petals in the Gilber murder? They're grandiflora, not hybrid teas.”

“I'll make a note of it.” Hope sarcastically replies

“Yeah, you probably should since it means Kyle Calvins is innocent.”

Later that evening, after Lizzie was bailed out by Josie and Caroline, Hope sat in front of their murder board, analyzing what really happened to their victims as she was also not convinced of what they did.

  
  


“Nah. No, no, no. Don't tell me that she got to you.” MG comments when he sees Hope.

“Please. She didn't get to me. She did.” Hope replies as she points to the murder board.

“Who? Alison?” MG asks.

“Yeah, kinda. Marvin Hayes, first murder. Kyle knew him from the diner. And then he kills Alison, his social worker. And then he kills Kendra Philips, also from the diner.”

“So? I still don’t get you, Hope”

“So he starts with a murder of convenience and then escalates to a murder of somebody he knows very well and then goes back to a murder of convenience? It doesn't make any sense. 

  
  


Meanwhile, as Lizzie, together with her sister and mother are on their way home Lizzei and Josie were also discussing what could’ve happened.

“Somebody set up Kyle to take the fall. Somebody who knew enough about his fixation with me.To use it to get away with murder. That means we're not looking for a serial killer.We're looking for a good, old-fashioned murderer--someone with motive.”

  
  


Josie then asks, “You think the victims were somehow related?”

“Police would've found it by now. Now if i were writing the story, the killer would've only wanted one of the victims dead. He would've killed the other ones just to cover up the crime.”

“How do you get away with one murder by committing two more?” Josie interrupts her sister.

“At one death, you look for motive. At two, you look for a connection. At three, you look for someone like Kyle. I mean at three, you don't need a motive, because mentally unstable serial killers don't usually have one.”

Caroline then jumps in on her daughters conversations, “That makes about as much sense as mousetrap.”

Back at the station, Hope was still convincing MG, “Saltzman is right. If he was trying to follow his books, then the roses on Alison's body were wrong, and Hayes should've been suffocated by a plastic bag, and not strangled with a necktie, and Kendra's dress should've been blue, not yellow. For an obsessive, it would've been impossible not to get the details right.”

“Well, if it wasn't him, then who was it?” MG continues to ask, slowly agreeing to what Hope was telling him. 

Back in the car, Lizzie tells Josie that, “The killer had to have known both his intended victim and Kyle fairly well.The only victim that had any real knowledge of Kyle's obsessive condition would've been Alison Gilbert. 

“Alison's the key.” Hope continues to discuss with MG back at the station. “She's the one that the killer is trying to hide.” 

“Well, as far as we know, she wasn't seeing anyone, and none of her other case profiles fit the profile.”

“Well, somebody had to know something about her.”

Lizzie then continues to analyze the possible scenarios with Josie and Caroline, “So if the killer found out about Kyle through Alison, then Alison must've been the intended target. Somebody wanted Alison dead. We just have to figure out why.”

“If I have to keep bailing you out”, Josie interrupts again, "you're gonna need to raise my allowance...by a lot.” She jokes.

“Mine too.” Caroline chimes in.

**

The next day, Lizzie went to the office of Alison Gilbert’s father to investigate on her own.

“Hi, I'm Lizzie Saltzman. I have an appointment to see Mr. Gilbert.”

“Ah yes, Ms. Saltzman, he’s expecting you.” The receptionist informs Lizzie after doing a quick check on her computer.

“Is he now?” Hope says as she walks past Lizzie, and shows her badge to the receptionist when she tries to stop Hope.

“This is not what it looks like. This, uh...okay, this is exactly what it looks like, but I can explain.” Lizzie stutters as she looks over to Hope who was waiting for her by the elevator.

“You coming?” 

When the two got into Mr. James Gilbert’s office, Hope immediately began her interrogation with the victim's father.

“Did Alison ever mention having enemies or being threatened?”

“People loved her. All she wanted was to make the world a better place. I told all this to the other detective.” Mr. Gilbert answers.

“I know, sir. We're just following up.” Hope explains apologetically.

“Did Alison know anybody who could've profited from her death?”

“Ms. Saltzman,I may be rich, but my daughter was not. She abhorred money. What little she had, she gave to charity.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Mr. Gilbert, fortune magazine estimated your net worth at nearly $100 million.Is that true?” Lizzie continued asking, much to Hope’s dismay.

“I don't check day to day.”

“But it's in the ballpark?”

“I've been lucky, yes.”

“Appreciate your time.” Hope tells Mr. Gilbert as she and Lizzie start heading out, however, Lizzie stops to ask again.

“What happens to all that money if something happens to you?”

“Saltzman.”

“Half of my estate goes to my charitable foundation, and the rest to my children. I mean, my son.”

“Thank you again, Mr. Gilbert.” and with that, the detective and the author finally left the office.

“What was that all about, Lizzie?”

“He's dying.”

“Who’s dying? Gilbert?”

Lizzie was suddenly distracted by the nearby food stand before she replied to Hope. “You want a hotdog? I want a hotdog.” Then she walks towards the vendor, however when she turned around to ask Hope, the girl was already on her face, pinching her on the nose.

“What do you take on your-- Aah! Apples, apples, apples!”

“What makes you think he's dying?”

“Okay. Oh that hurts so bad, I swear to god, Hope if you broke my nose-”

“Answer me, Saltzman.”

“You see those pictures in his office?”

“Yeah.”

“He's much thinner now--like sick thin, not workout thin.”

“His daughter was just murdered.”

“And the way he kept touching his hair, like he's self conscious.”

“You think it was a piece?”

“It's a good one, but it's new to him. The chemo's relatively recent. And he was wearing makeup.”

“He's trying to look healthier than he is.”

“Doesn't want his shareholders to know.”

“So he's got cancer. That doesn't mean that he's terminal.”

“But it's a much better story if he is. You interview the brother?”

“There was never a reason to.”

“Well, now there is.”

**

With that in mind, the duo then went to the business of Alison’s brother, Harrison Gilbert.

“Harrison Gilbert?”

“Yeah?”

“Detective Hope Mikaelson. Lizzie Saltzman”. Hope introduces the two of them. “We'd like to ask you some questions about your sister.”

“Yeah, anything I can do. Uh, let's head inside.” Harrison escorted his guests towards his office.

“Last time I saw her? About a month ago at dad's. You know, I... still can't believe she's gone.”

“Were you close?”

“Ah, everybody loved her. I mean, my sister-- she just wanted to see the best in people, even that kid who killed her. You know, she did everything she could to help that guy. Even brought him around here once to see if I could get him a job.”

“But you didn't.” Lizzie interrupts.

“I can't afford to, all right? My employees mess up, I lose my bond. I don't know. Maybe if i'd helped him...Things would be different.”

“How'd your sister react when your dad told you he was dying?”

“She was upset. We both were.”

“Now that she's dead, your inheritance stands to double.” Lizzie asks,

“What are you suggesting? You already caught the killer.”

“Yeah, we did, but the first thing his lawyers will do is shift suspicion to someone else, someone with motive. And then they'll stick me on the stand, and ask me why I didn't investigate, and then the jury will have doubts, and we don't want them to have doubts, do we?”

“No.”

“So you'll have to excuse me for asking,” Hope says and continues by asking Harrison, “Where were you the night of your sister's murder?”

And in an instant, as if he had prepared on this, Harrison replied “I was traveling... on business. Actually, I was out of the country for all three murders. Here. Check the stamps on that if it's useful.” He says as he hands over his passport to Hope.

The two then leaves, still not having enough evidence that would lead them to arresting Harrison.

“A US passport.”

“Absolutely unassailable.”

“I was sure it was him.”

“Oh, don't take it so hard. After all, you're just a writer.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Oh, come on. He's lying. I mean,I get him knowing where he was the night of his sister's murder, but the other two victims? He didn't pause, he didn't ask for dates, he didn't even check his calendar but he was ready with an alibi. In my experience, innocent people do not prepare alibis.”

“So, I was right?”

  
  
  


When Hope and Lizzie came back to the station later that day, Hope had instructed Kaleb to make a call at the credit card company to check the usage of Harrion’s credit card.

“Why can't you just admit I was right?” Lizzie asks Hope while Kaleb was on the phone.

“Because he totally fooled you." Hope said before turning to MG, "He totally bought the alibi.”

“I had a fleeting moment of self doubt.” 

“So?” Hope brought her attention back to Kaleb, who had just finished with his phone call.

“His credit card company confirms, he paid for three roundtrip tickets. Dates coincide with the three murders.”

“So according to his credit card, Gilbert was out of the country.” MG confirms.

“Wait a minute. So now i'm not right?”

“Which means the passport stamps were forged.”

“I'm gonna call passport control and have 'em check their logs.” MG says as he walks back to his desk.

“That's, uh, not how he would've done it.”

“You got a better idea, Lizzie?”

“Second passport.” 

“And how would he get one of those?”

“Oh, with his money? Trust me.On the black market, it would be a piece of cake.”

“So he leaves the country on his own, comes back with the other passport, commits murder, flies out and then comes back in on his own.”

“Perfect alibi, perfect murder.”

“But almost impossible to prove.”

“Unless you find the second passport.”

“Gotta be freaked after your little meet and greet.” Kaleb tells Hope.

“Keep eyeballs on him. If he moves, I wanna know.” Hope tells MG and Kaleb before she and Lizzie head back to her desk.

“The things that people will do for money.”

“This guy killed his own sister in cold blood. And two more people to cover it up. He's either a world-class sociopath, or there's a lot more to this story than just money.”

“Judge Markway, please.”

“Oh, Judge Markway. Tell him I said hello.” Lizzie told Hope who was on the phone trying to get through one of the city’s judges.

Later in the afternoon, Hope and Lizzie went to Judge Markway to ask for a warrant for Harrison.

“No, seriously. They're redoing the entire back nine.” Judge and Lizzie were in a conversation about a golf course while they were walking outside the courtroom.

“Oh, man, I loved that course. When are they gonna reopen it?”

Then Hope just couldn’t help but to interrupt the two, “Judge, I hate to break up "golf digest, but I have an exigent situation here."

“Very well, detective. Play through.”

“We need a search warrant.” Lizzie tells the Judge, who happens to be Josie’s godfather. “She needs a search warrant.”

“For the home and office of Harrison Gilbert.”

“Harrison Gilbert? As in James Gilbert son?”

“Yes”

“Yep. He murdered his sister and killed two more people to cover up the crime.”

“Murder? The Gilberts? You better be long and straight on this one, detective.”

“Harrison's father is terminally ill, sir.”

“What? I just saw him at a benefit.”

“Hope you took a picture.”

“With the sister out of the way, the son will inherit all of it.”

“Excuse me.” Hope excuses herself as she takes a phone call.

“There's also a twisted, emotional angle in there.I don't want to bore you with the details. But family and vengeance-- It's shakespearean.” Lizzie explains further to Judge Markaway.

When Hope came back to where Lizzie and Markaway were standing she told them that Harrison had just left for work.

“He's probably headed home to destroy the evidence.”

“Are you sure you can tie him to the other victims?”

“Through a patient of his sister's that he was trying to frame.”

“It's days like this I wish I was back in the civil division.” The judge says as he signs the warrant.

“Thank you, sir.” Hope thanked him as the judge handed over to her the search warrant.

  
  


**

What Hope and Lizzie didn't know, is that Harrison is already in his apartment destroying the evidences that would lead to his arrest for the murder of his sister and Hayes and Philips, that when they got there it was already a little too late.

“What do we have here, guys?” Hope asks MG and the other detective.

“Get this. Junior's business is going under. He's tens of millions in debt.” MG explains.

“But with his sister's share of the Gilbert fortune, he stands to pay off his debt and then some.” Lizzie butts in in the conversation going on between the detectives.

“Saltzman, if you're going in, you should be armed.My backup's in the glove compartment.” Hope instructs Lizzie who immediately went back to Hope’s car.

“I can't find it. It--” Lizzie says. However, Hope handcuffs her on the car door.

“This time, you're staying put.”

“Oh, okay, Mikaelson! Very funny.” She yells at Hope who was now headed to Harrison’s apartment. “Joke’s over. Come on!” Lizzie huffs in frustration before she remembers she’s got a key on her wallet.

“Cuff me once, shame on you. Cuff me twice, shame on me.” Lizzie says as she searches on her wallet for the keys, however, she then accidentally dropped the key, on an area a little bit further to where she was.

“Harrison Gilbert? MFPD We have a warrant.” Hope calls out.

“Just a minute!”

“Open the door, Harrison!” MG demands.

“Open the door. It's MFPD. We have a warrant.” Hope calls out again.

As Lizzie was trying to reach out for the keys, she sees Harrison running down on the fire escape and decides to call Hope. Thankfully, Hope had answered her phone.

“He's coming down the fire escape.”

“He's out back. Cover the front.” Hope tells the police as she follows Harrison. 

When Lizzie finally reached the key and had herself uncuffed, without thinking, she immediately ran after Harrison, holding out one of her shoes as she had it removed for her to reach the key.

“Stop! Police! Don't move!” Hope tries to stop Harrison who doesn’t even bother to stop.

“Saltzman! No!”

“I got him! I got him!”

“Saltzman!” Hope yells as she sees Lizzie being held at a gunpoint by Harrison.

“Stay back! Stay back! Don't come anywhere closer! Harrisons tells Hope as she comes closer to him and Lizzie.”Get--Get down! Stay back! Stay back! Don't move!”

“Easy, easy!” Lizzie tells him not even showing any fear.

“Let her go, Harrison!”

“Come on!” Harrison pulls Lizzie backwards towards the exit, however, what he didn’t notice was they are at a dead end on the street.

“Easy! Easy! Okay. It's okay. Okay.” Lizzie tries to calm Harrison.

“Saltzman! Are you okay?” Hope asks Lizzie.

“Yeah, except psycho here needs a breath mint.”She jokes trying her best to stay calm and composed given the situation.

“Shut up!” Harrison tells her.

“Okay! Hey, harrison, you know what's bugging me? If you were that deep in debt, why didn't you just ask your father for the money?”

“Saltzman, you’re not helping!” Hope calls out for Lizzie, however she gets ignored.

“You know what I think? I think you did ask. I think you asked, and he said no. I think he always said no.” Lizzie taunts him. “Self-Made man like that, I bet he thought you were weak for asking.”

Without faltering, Harrison answers, “I was trying to make something with my life, and all he cared about was her!”

“That's why you killed her. It wasn't just for the money. You wanted to punish him before he died, take away the only thing he loved. That's a pretty good story.”

“Who are you?” Harrison suddenly asks Lizzie.

“Harrison, let her go! It's over.”

“It's not over, it's not over!”

“Drop the gun, or I swear to god, I'll--” Before Harrison could finish what he was about to say, Lizzie then decides to elbow him and punch him in the face which lands him into dropping his gun and hitting his head on the wall.

“Tell me you saw that!” Lizzie was obviously proud of what she did and asked Hope if she witnessed what she just did. “You're gonna put that in your report, right?”

“Can I see the cuffs, please?” Hope asks Lizzie 

“Yeah, yeah” 

After Hope had handcuffed Harrison, she pushed Lizzie who was now seated on the floor.

“What the hell were you thinking? You could've gotten yourself killed!”

“Well, the safety was on the whole time.”

“You know, you could've told me.”

“Where's the fun in that?”

As the two finally walk out of the alley, Lizzie clears out her throat to get Hope’s attention.

“Well, I guess this is it.” Hope starts.

“Well, it doesn't have to be. We could, uh, go to dinner, debrief each other.”

“Why, Saltzman? So I could be another one of your conquests?” 

“Or I could be one of yours.” 

“It was nice to meet you, Saltzman.”

“It's too bad.It would've been great.”

Hope walks closer to Lizzie to whisper in her ear, “You have no idea.” The two of them then walk in a separate way.

The next day, at the station, Hope was called by her Captain first thing in the morning.

“You wanted to see me, sir?”

“Yeah.”

“I just got a call from the mayor's office. Apparently, you have a fan.”

“A fan, sir?” Hope asks, clearly not getting where this conversation is headed.

“Lizzie Saltzman. Seems she's found the main character for her next set of novels-- A tough but savvy female detective.”

“I'm flattered?”

“Don't be. She says she has to do research.”

“Oh, no.”

“Oh yes.”

“No way.”

“Mikaelson, listen--”

“Sir, she is like a 9 year old on a sugar rush--totally incapable of taking anything seriously.”

“But he did help solve this case. And when the mayor's happy, the commissioner's happy. And when the commissioner's happy, I'm happy.”

“How long, sir?”

“Well it must be up to her” The captain points towards Lizzie who was standing right at the captain’s doorway.


	2. A Chills Goes Through Her Veins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope and Lizzie are out for a cold case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so so much for the warm reviews of the first chapter. It was well appreciated that I got excited to write down chapter two, so have fun reading!

Hope was rudely awakened by her phone ringing, she reached out to it blindly from her nightstand and without even checking who the caller was she immediately took the call. 

After getting all the details coming from Kaleb, she immediately prepares for the day ahead of her. Before she leaves for work, she opens the top drawer on her dresser, getting the watch that was given to her by her father. Next, she moves to the second drawer where she retrieves a necklace that has a ring as its pendant and lastly, she carefully attached her gun around her belt. 

It took her about half an hour to get through the crime scene where she was met by MG, a cup of coffee on his hand.

“Why can't they find bodies between 9:00 and 5:00?” MG asks her as he hands him the coffee.

“Well, the early bird gets the collar.”

“Yeah”

Hope was about to take a sip on her coffee when she notice Lizzie heading towards them,

“She was here before I was.” MG told her.

“Oh! Finally, you are here. You are gonna love this.” Lizzie greets Hope excitedly as she finally approaches the detective.

“Come on, show's over! Active crime scene. We appreciate your cooperation.” One of the officers yelled at the bystanders inside the abandoned warehouse which Hope, Lizzie and the rest of the team had entered. When they got there, Lizzie immediately made a witty remark which doesn’t really surprise Hope by now. They had been working together for a couple of weeks now.

When they had entered the abandoned warehouse, Hope was greeted by a body perched on one of the fences on the building. Penelope was seated right next to the body, where she did her primary tests to check what had caused the death.

Hope then takes a closer look on the death body and notices that the woman was frozen.

“Awesome, right? My first cold case.” Lizzie comments as Hope continues to look at the body, before glaring at the blonde.

“Come on, it's a little funny.” Lizzie made a comment.

“Not so much funny as true. She's frozen solid.” Penelope informs Hope as she continues to look closer at the dead body right next to Penelope.

Hope then asks, “What was the temperature last night?” 

“Mid-40s.” Kaleb answers Hope.

“It wasn't exposure.” Penelop then confirms.

“Site's active.” MG tells Hope. “The boys out here tell me there's no way she was here last night.”

Hope then steps on one of the ledge to take a closer look at the solid frozen body. “She's melting.”

“Maybe we should be looking for ruby slippers.” Lizzie continues to make a joke which earns her another glare from the detective.

“Yeah, while you're at it, why don't you look for some flying monkeys? Maybe they left her here.” Hope says sarcastically.

Hope then returns her attention back to Penelope, “So what do you got for me?”

“There are pieces of plastic on her body from the garment bag.” Penelope tells Hope as she paused whatever it was she was writing on her case file note.

“So she was inside a bag?” Hope had asked.

“Mm-Hmm. Other than that, it's gonna take a while for her to thaw. I can tell you she hasn't been here long. Maybe couple of hours.” Penelope continues to give assessments to Hope about the dead body.

Hope turns to MG and asks, “What about security?”

“Chain-Link. Pair of bolt cutters took care of that.”

“Looks like our guy was hoping she'd disappear into the concrete pour.” Kaleb says.

“A few more feet, and she would've.” MG answers his partner, Kaleb.

“It's kind of odd-- taking the trouble to freeze a body and then dumping it? Lizzie said as she moved a little closer to the body. “We got two personality

types working here.” She then suggests. “A killer who freezes a body is a keeper--He wants a souvenir. But a guy who dumps a body?”

“Doesn't want to be reminded of the crime.” Hope answers before she goes down from the ledge to talk to other cops, however she briefly stops when she sees the crime photographer, “Get a close-up of her face. I want to run her through missing persons.” The police nod at her order.

Lizzie then follows Hope to wherever she was headed; “Oh, cool, like on the discovery channel, where you plug the photo into facial recognition databases?” Lizzie commented after she heard Hope talking to the police about facial recognition, her excitement was all over the place.

“Yeah. Just like that.” Hope tells her. 

Unfortunately, when they got to the station, Hope was just clearly making fun of Lizzie about the facial recognition that they are doing at the station as she had placed tons of folders that consists of files of people who went missing throughout the years.

“Welcome to the department's official facial recognition database.” 

“Wait, you do this by hand?” Lizzie was really confused by what was going on right in front of her. “That's like life before tivo.”

“Maybe you could download an app on that phone of yours. You could just--” MG made fun of Lizzie’s misery.

“Hope, you do realize that there are a lot of missing people-”

“One way or another, you eventually find them. Some end up dead, some turn up double-wide, with a stripper name Daisy outside Mystic Falls.”

“And some just don't turn up.” MG says as he hands over a folder for Lizzie to check.

“Dana Sullivan.” Lizzie reads out the name on the folder MG had just handed her.

“Mm-Hmm. Her and her boyfriend leave a club. He's a couple steps behind her 'cause he gets a call on his cellphone. She turns a corner just a few seconds before he does. And when he comes around, she's gone.” MG tells the story to an interestedly listening Lizzie. “Street's totally empty--No traffic, no nothing. In a matter of 3 feet, she literally just disappeared.”

“People don't disappear off the face of the earth.” Lizzie counters.

“Sure they do.” It was now Kaleb’s turn to try and convince the author. “Quantum physics, alien abductions, schrodinger's cat. One minute, you're getting a hotdog in the park. The next, you're fighting off sleestaks on the far side of a dimensional rift.” Kaleb continues all the while as he was reading a file.

However, Lizzie was still being stubborn to let go of the topic, “I don't buy it. There's got to be an explanation. A story that makes everything make sense.” 

“Okay, Saltzman, what's our Jane Doe's story?” Hope asks as she turns her attention to the three people discussing next to her.

Lizzie then clears out her throat and straightens up her posture, “Well, I don't know how it starts, but I know how it ends-- Frozen at a construction site. So flying monkeys aside, what's the first question? How did she get there?”

“Considering she was frozen solid, she had to have been kept pretty close.” Kaleb gives his view on the crime.

  
  


“Not necessarily.” Lizzie countered him, as she moved towards a board with the floor plan of the building. "Here is the site. Her body might not have been kept as close as you might think. It takes a long time for a frozen body to thaw.” 

Kaleb made another joke, “What, you, uh, freeze a body once for one of your books?” MG couldn't help but to snicker beside him.

“No, but I cooked a turkey for thanksgiving.” Lizzie replied firmly. “It was a 28-Pounder. It took all night to unfreeze.”

“She's a person, Saltzman, not a turkey.” Hope interrupts.

“Just making a point.” Lizzie defends herself.

Hope’s phone suddenly rings interrupting the discussion that is going on in the room.

“Mikaelson.” She answers. “Okay. I’m on my way. Thank you.” 

“Penelope’s got an ID.” She informs the curious men around her.

“You'll take care of these?” Lizzie asks as she motions on all the files set on the table before she follows Hope.

“Hey, Hawkins, can you uh,” MG didn’t even bother finishing his sentence as he starts to follow Hope and Lizzie out.

As soon as they get to Penelope’s lab, she immediately informs them about the details of the victim.

“Mary Cavanaugh, 34 at time of death. Turns out COD was blunt force trauma to her head.”

“How'd you get her ID?” Hope asks after she checks on the x rays that Penelope had handed over to her.

“Her fingerprints were in the system.”

“For?”

“Misdemeanor drug possession.”

“She doesn't look like a junkie.” Lizzie made a comment as she stared at the dead body laying on the table.

“No, she's in pretty good shape, considering. But judging the lack of frost and tissue degeneration, I'd say wherever she was stored, the temperature rarely varied.” Penelope continues to discuss further her findings about the dead body.

“Like a freezer?” 

“Freezer's do the job.” Penelope confirms Lizzie’s statement.

Hope now had to ask, “How long has she been dead?”

“Well, considering how long she's been like this, factoring decomposition, I'd say she's probably was frozen within 24 hours of being killed.”

“What do you mean by how long she's been like this?” Hope asks Penelope

“According to the records I pulled,this woman has been missing for over five years.” Penelope says leaving both Hope and Lizzie wondering as to how the hell this all had happen.

  
  


* * *

The following day, Hope and Lizzie had immediately dug deeper with their research about Mary’s life.

“She had a troubled childhood.” Hope tells Lizzie as soon as she came back from the pantry with a cup of coffee “Drug problems in her teens and 20s.”

“I know.” Lizzie told Hope as soon as she sat down on the available seat next to Hope.

“How do you know?”

“I read the case file. She kicked the habit. Met and married Samuel Cavanaugh. She worked in a restaurant. He managed a bank. They have two kids.”

“When did you read the case file?”

“When you were in the little girls' room.”

“You know, you can just call it restroom right?” 

“Yeah. But I’m a writer, gotta keep making my words creative.”

“Also, I was gone for, like, a minute.”

“Speed-Reader.” Lizzie says, as she tries to reach out for her coffee, however, Hope took it and took a sip from it. Lizzie then wonders how the two of them had become this comfortable before she continues, “Somewhat picked up from my years stranded in the public library. Would you like the cliffsnotes? Or in this case, the Saltzman notes?”

“Saltzman, how do you know you didn't miss something important?”

“Like, after Mary disappeared, her husband waited a day before he called the cops.”

“A day? That doesn't make any sense.” Hope says, browsing through the files again.

“Until you get to the third paragraph.” Lizzie said moving closer to hover at where Hope is. “Before Mary was married, she was what is now referred to as a "runaway bride."

Hope then went to read out the statement Lizzie was referring to, “According to her husband, she ran away a whole two weeks before their wedding day.”

“Mm-Hmm, and then she came back. Three years happily ever after, she disappears again and comes back. Lather, rinse, repeat three times. No indication of where she went.” Lizzie points at a specific part of the report file to make her point.

“Well, she must've had a reason for running away.” Hope replies, still not believing what she is reading.

“Hmm. I'm not judging her. Some people love the institution, hate the day-to-day.” Lizzie says before she went back to her seat.

“Are you one of those people, Saltzman”

“I guess I just haven't met the right girl.” Lizzie stares at Hope longingly. However, it was Hope who breaks their eye contact and goes back to what she was reading.

“So that's why her husband didn't call the cops. She'd done it before. Seemed reasonable to the detective at the time.”

“There's no evidence of foul play, so the detective just closed the case.” Hope continues to read, still not getting how it all happened. “Five years, and her husband thought she just ran away?”

“Guess it's time to tell him his runaway bride finally came home.”

Hope and Lizzie went to the address where Samuel Cavanaugh lives to let him know about what had happened to his dear wife.

“Who is it?” A man in his mid forties calls out inside the apartment where Hope and Lizzie went.

“Mystic Falls Police Department.”

When the man finally had opened the door, he asked the two ladies; “Can I help you?”

“Detective Mikaelson.” Hope introduces herself. “Are you Samuel Cavanaugh?”

“Who?” 

“Samuel Cavanaugh. Our records indicates that he lives here.”

“No, you must have the wrong apartment.” The man says as he attempts to shut the door, however, Hope had to stop him.

“9-1-7?” She said as she pointed at the door number.

  
  


“Yeah, but I live here, and my name is Robert. Not Samuel.”

“Do you know Samuel Cavanaugh?” Hope asks again.

“No. What's this about?”

“How long have you lived here?” Lizzie asks.

“About eight months.”

“Well, it's been five years. He could've moved.” Lizzie tells Hope.

“Well, yeah, I hate to break it to you, but if you're looking for the guy who lived here before me, he didn't move. He was murdered.” Robert tells the two before he shuts the door close.

Back in the station, Hope continues to do her research about Mary and now, her husband too.

“Hey, Mikaelson”, MG calls out as he and Kaleb are walking towards Hope’s desk.

“Yeah?”

“Samuel Cavanaugh - Shot outside a grocery store about a year ago. Small caliber, double tap to the chest. Wallet and valuables missing.” MG tells her before he hands her the report on Samuel’s case.

“Poor schlub's wife disappears. Four years later, he gets shot in a mugging.” Kaleb comments on. “Yeah, what are the odds?”

“Long, unless they're connected.” Lizzie joins in the conversation.

“What, four years? One's a popsicle, one just got popped. How could they possibly be connected?” MG says getting confused with Lizzie’s comment.

“Maybe he and his wife got into something they couldn't get out of, maybe something to do with her drug habit.” Lizzie explains her theory further.

“So some skell waits four years to finish the job?” Kaleb asks, getting a little interested too.

“Maybe he finally figured out what happened to his wife and was about to go to the police with it.” Lizzie continues, glancing briefly at Hope as if asking for her approval.

“I don't believe it.” Kaleb says.

“Give me 250 pages. I bet I could make you.” She challenges Kaleb then.

“We're solving a murder, Saltzman, not writing a book.” Hope reprimands Lizzie as if she was reprimanding a 9 year old kid.

“I would call it, " _a chill runs through her veins_."

“Ooh, I like that book title, Lizzie.” MG says before he gives Lizzie a high five.

"Bam," said the lady. Another best seller for me.” 

Hope was so sure by now that having Lizzie around MG and Kaleb makes her be surrounded by kids, so she just continues to ignore them as they plan on a bet. She then turns to Kaleb to ask about the kids.

“What happened to the kids?”

“Living with Mary’s parents up in white plains.”

“Well, it looks like I'm going to white plains.” Hope says as she starts to gather her things. "Canvass the construction site. Someone must've seen something.” She tells MG as she finally stood up, her eyebrow furrows when she sees Lizzie getting ready to leave as well.

“Yeah, the foreman said that, uh, they have a problem with the homeless at night, so I figured I'd go down there later, try to catch 'em at the site.” MG tells Hope about his plans.

When Lizzie has heard this, she starts weighing her options of who she should be going with.

“Homeless, white plains. Homeless, white plains.” She says this as she points back and forth between MG and Hope.

“They're both kinda creepy.” MG said as he had noticed what she was doing, but Lizzie then ends up choosing to go with Hope.

* * *

When the author and the detective came to the address of Mary’s parents, they were greeted by a scene where an old man was playing with his two grandkids, they figured that it must be Mary’s father.

“Mr. Hobbes?” Hope calls for him softly as not to scare off the old man.

“Yes, ma'am. That’s me.”

“I’m Detective Hope Mikaelson. Is there somewhere we could talk?”

  
  


“Yes. Why don't we go inside?” Before he ushered his guests he turned to the two girls he was playing with earlier. “Girls, don't play in the street, okay?” He tells the kids who nod in response. “All right. Grandpa will be out in a minute.”

Inside the house, Mr. Hobbes’ wife had joined him as he talked with Hope and Lizzie.

“I-I think we've both known for a while now that Mary was not going to come home.” Mrs. Hobbes tells them as she tries her very best not to cry, her husband was quick to hold her hands to give her comfort.

“What do you remember about the days leading up to her disappearance?” Hope asked carefully.

“Well, uh, we talked to her a couple days before-- Uh, my wife did, I mean. Everything seemed fine.”

“She didn't indicate in any way that she was leaving?” 

“No.” Mrs. Hobbes was quick to answer.

“We're aware your daughter had some issues.” Lizzie finally speaks.

“That had nothing to do with what happened here.” Mr. Hobbes tells them quite defensively.

“How do you know?” Lizzie asked the old man calmly.

“You know, now you sound like the cop who first had the case-- convinced she'd run away, convinced she was still on drugs.”

“But you didn't think that.” Hope intervenes.

“Mary..wasn't the greatest of moms... But she loved her kids. She would've never left them.”

“What about her husband Sam?”

“Oh…” Mrs. Hobbes speaks softly. “He thought it was drugs, too.”

“You know he waited over a day before he reported her missing?”

“She had run off before.” Lizzie mentions what she found out from Mary’s files.

“Look, i'm not gonna sit here and deny that, but if Sam thought our daughter was in trouble, why didn't he report her missing right away? Why didn't he call for help? Even if she'd gotten locked up, she'd have been better off than--” Mr. Hobbes was suddenly distracted when his wife started to rub his arms when his voice started to rise. "Oh, what the hell's the difference? I mean, the time to ask these questions was five years ago, but the cop who was on the case then didn't want to ask them."

When Hope and Lizzie had left the house of the Hobbes it was already clear to them that they didn’t like the investigation that took place years ago.

“Sounds like they were pretty unhappy with the original investigation.” Lizie says as they head off to Hope’s car.

“Yeah, well, they had every reason to be.” Hope replies.

“The guy whose case it was-- You know him?”

“No. Detective Sloan was before my time.”

“Is he still around?” Lizzie asks as she buckles up her seatbelt after Hope reminds her, again.

“Well, if you count being a sheriff in downtown, then yeah, he's still around.”

The two of them headed downtown to meet with Sheriff Sloan. Good thing, the sheriff was available to meet with them for lunch to discuss what happened during his investigations.

“Mary Cavanaugh. So she was finally found after all these years, huh?” The sheriff had asked them after Hope filled in for him.

“She wasn't found. Her body was.” Lizzie informs the old man.

“Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. You know, from the moment I took that case, I figured it was gonna end bad.”

“Her parents led us to believe that you were pretty sure that she'd run off.” Hope tells Sheriff Sloan.

“Her being found dead and her running off are not exactly incompatible, not with her history.” he then says.

“Her parents also believe your investigation never made it past her history.” 

“I was on a missing persons, not a murder. I mean, you have a dead body. All I had was a- a woman with a drug habit and a history of, uh, disappearing.” Sloans tell them, however Hope made a point about her husband.

“And a husband who didn't report her missing for over a day.”

“Look, sweetheart, he cooperated. He voluntarily allowed CSU into their apartment. Anything I asked, he did.”

“Did you know he was murdered, too?” Lizzie asked. However, the surprised reaction on Sloan’s face tells her that he didn't have any idea.

“Gunned down on the street, over a year ago.” Hope answers the unspoken question of Sloan.

“Look, what do you want from me? We had reports of her with a meth head ex-boyfriend. I mean, it was what it was.”

“But you didn't even go down to check it out.” Hope says, starting to get irritated by not getting anything good from Sloan.

“Didn't need to. Had reports.”

“Right. From her husband's best friend Max Wyler.” Hope asks for confirmation from Sloan, by showing him a picture of Max.

“So?” Sloan asks, confused.

“He's not exactly an impartial observer.” Lizzie answers, she knows she kinda needs to take over as Hope is clearly getting irritated with the way she keeps on spinning her pen on her hand.

“The guy owned his own business. He had a family. He was a war vet. I saw no reason to doubt his word. Plus, his town’s a pretty long drive. She was only missing back then.” 

“No, sheriff, she was already dead. You just didn't know it yet.” Hope says as she stands up to leave the restaurant, tapping Lizzie on her arm to let her get the signal that their talk with the sheriff is over.

Once outside, Lizzie made a comment to Hope before they got back to Hope’s car.

“If I ever disappear, make sure this guy's not in my case.”

When they started their drive, it was the only time Hope had answered Lizzie.

“Don’t worry, I will never let that happen." She smiles at the girl at the passenger seat. “I hate cops like him. Guys like him-- things only make sense if they fit in a box. So they make 'em fit, and murderers go free.”

“Is that what happened to your dad?” Lizzie couldn’t help herself from asking.

“My dad?”

“I noticed your watch.” Lizzie points towards the watch Hope was wearing on her left wrist. “It's your dad's, right? That's why you wear it?”

She was about to answer Lizzie but her phone rings, it was a call coming from MG. 

“Mikaelson.” She says by answering the call. “You find a witness?”

“Yeah, homeless guy. A couple of bucks jogged his memory.” MG can be heard through the speakers as he relays the details to Hope. “Said he saw a dented yellow truck pull up to the site.”

“Okay we’ll be there soon.”

Hope and Lizzie arrived at a semi-abandoned parking area, Kaleb and MG were already there, checking the truck that was described by the homeless guy who had said that he witnessed something.

“How'd you find this place?” Hope asks as she approaches them. MG was crouched down as he used his flashlight as he continued inspecting the truck.

“Guy also remembered the word "storage" written on the side of the truck.” Kaleb answered for MG. “We searched all the storage on the west side and found that this one uses yellow trucks.”

“Mm-Hmm.” MG agreed to his partner, as he finally got up.

“So who owns the trucks?” Lizzie asks the boys.

“According to the DMV, Albert Bolland.” MG said before he tears out a page from his notepad that indicates the address of Albert Bolland and hands it Hope.

The two immediately went to Albert’s office just nearby the abandoned parking area to interrogate him.

“What body? I don't know what you're talking about.” 

“A witness saw someone driving one of your yellow trucks.”

“And dumping the body.” Lizzie had chimed in

“You're lying. No one saw.” Albert says confidently.

“Ouch. Wow. Maybe you should've tried denying it first?” Lizzie said.

Then Albert's face fell, feeling defeated as he realized he just had a slip up.

Hope speaks again. “Let me help you. Mary Cavanaugh, mother of two. Wife of Samuel Cavanaugh.”

“Okay, look, I dumped her, but I swear I didn't--”

“You didn't kill her, right?” Hope confirms sarcastically.

“That's right. I found her.” 

“Uh huh.” It was now Lizzie’s turn on replying sarcastically.

“I never even knew she was here.” Albert tells them as he walks towards the freezer where he had found Mary.

“What do you mean "here"? 

“Sixth floor, detective. Renters were in arrears. We usually give 'em three months, and then we cut the locks and we sell their belongings. Only this time, all I find is a freezer. Plugged into a light outlet, which, by the way, is totally illegal.”

Lizzie then asks again, “You didn't think it was illegal to store a dead body in a freezer?”

“You think I knew? When I opened it up, I nearly had a heart attack.”

“You could've called the cops.” Hope told him.

“So I could make the front page of "the ledger"? Yeah, that's good for business. What if it's a mob hit? I mean, I have a family.”

“So did she. So you find her. Next logical step-- Dump her at a construction site?”

“Listen detective, I know a guy who works over there. So when I find the body, I figure, that's the place, right?”

“Show us where you found her.” Lizzie orders him, as if she was the detective here.

Albert then opens the freezer at the corner, the freezer had strands of hairs all over.

“Five years in there. Nobody deserves that.”

“How'd they make payments for the unit? Check? Credit card?” Hope asks after Albert had finally closed the freezer.

“Cash. Every six months. But like I said, they were three months overdue.”

“Puts the last payment At two months after her husband was killed.” Hope said.

“Agree. I mean, it’s hard to make payments when you're dead.” Lizzie agreed to what had just been said by Hope.

“Mm-Hmm.That camera in your office--You got footage of the guy who made payments?”

“That was nine months ago. We keep maybe two weeks at a time.”

“Looks like Sloan was right. Samuel Cavanaugh didn't have anything to do with it.”

“Well, if not Sam, then who?” Lizzie ponders.

When Lizzie got home, she immediately went to the kitchen to search for something to eat. However, as she stays there she absent mindedly ends up staring blankly at their refrigerator; it was only until Josie showed up that she realized what she was doing.

“You know, we have air conditioning.”

“Mm. I'm just trying to figure out why someone would put a dead body in a freezer.”

“Is this a Amber Heat or Detective Mikaelson question?” 

“Mikaelson.” Lizzie says as she finally closes the door of the refrigerator.

“Oh, that's right. The Amber Heat thing was about incinerating a body In a self-cleaning oven.”

“Mm-Hmm. I mean,you put things in a freezer to keep 'em for later, but once they're there, you rarely ever go back.”

“If I was putting a body in a freezer, it'd be because I was trying to hide it.” Josie says. She would never admit it to her sister, but she actually enjoys doing this kind of exchanging theories. After all her girlfriend Penelope is a Forensic Analyst - talking about dead bodies had become one of their usual conversations.

“Until you stopped paying for the storage space.” Lizzie answers her twin’s question.

“Did I stop, or did something stop me?” 

“It's family moments like this I will never forget.” Lizzie moves forwards to envelope Josie into a hug. 

“With a good therapist, hopefully I will.” Josie replies before she goes back to her bedroom.

“What took you so long?” Penelope asks as she finally hears the door to Josie’s bedroom open and close.

“Sorry babe. I had a family moment with Lizzie.” Josie tells her girlfriend as she rejoins her in bed, but before they continue the movie they are watching Josie speaks again. “Caught her staring at the freezer.” She says finally releasing the giggles she was holding from earlier when she had found Lizzie.

“Let me guess, this has something to do with the case she’s working with Hope?”

“Yep.” Josie says as she moves closer to cuddle with Penelope.

“Ah the Cavanaugh case. I think it’s understable for Lizzie to act that way.”

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean, this case they currently have is about a woman who was murdered and was hidden in a freezer...for five years. Trust me babe, I’m so used to seeing dead bodies everyday, but this one I don’t know, it still haunts me.”

Josie had an idea then. “Wanna know how you can keep that off your memory?” She asks as she moves to seat down on Penelope’s torso, her hips slowly grinding on the girl underneath her.

“Show me then?” Penelope challenges her girlfriend who was now slowly moving closer to her, Penelope can no longer hide her impatience that she had to pull Josie by her neck to finally kiss her.

* * *

The next day, Hope and Lizzie went to Wyler’s office to ask him a few things regarding the death of Mary.

“Mr. Wyler, the detective investigating Mary's disappearance said that you told him that she went to an ex boyfriend in Philadelphia?” Hope starts her questioning.

“No, I only told him what Samuel told me.”

“Samuel told you?” Lizzie asks this time.

“It's where she went before the wedding and a few times after.”

“But you're not sure that's where she went.”

“It's the only thing that made sense.” Max told Hope

“Look, detective, Mary was a good person, but Mary was...troubled. Sometimes when things got hard, she'd go out and score, you know? Come home high, accuse Samuel of ruining her life. He'd given her everything.”

“Do you remember the name of the boyfriend?”

“Kevin Alder.” Max told them as they sat down at a nearby table in his office. “If something happened to Mary, he's the one who would know what.”

When Hope and Lizzie had returned to the station, Hope immediately runs an update of the case to Captain Hudson, she tells him about Mary’s ex boyfriend, Kevin Alder.

“Kevin Alder-- Mary's ex-boyfriend.He's serving a year for meth in the South of Mystic Falls, he went in just after the last payment was made on the storage unit.”

“He stops payment, the storage guy finds her body.” Lizzie tells the Captain.

“Quite a coincidence.” Captain Hudson says as he gives back the photos of Kevin to Hope, shaking his head in the process.

“And, to add things up, he was also on the outside when her husband was whacked.”

“Sounds like he's worth a trip to South of Mystic Falls.” Captain Hudson then commends Hope and Lizzie for finding Kevin.

When they got to the prison where Kevin was being held, the police there immediately arranged a meeting with Kevin, for Hope to have him interrogated.

“Have you ever been in love, detective? It makes you do crazy things.” Kevin asks Hope as if she was the one being interrogated.

“What? Like kill someone?” 

“Mary and I when we were together, time just stopped. But even the first day, her and me-- we both knew it was never gonna work. God knows her folks were never gonna let their little girl end up with some...tatted-up addict.” Kevin begins his story. “But sometimes, see, sometimes when we were alone together - sometimes we almost believed-”

“She was going to leave Samuel for you. That's why she came to see you.” Lizzie cuts him.

“She found out he was having an affair. She thought he was gonna leave her and get custody of the kids, you know, because of the drugs. She wanted me to go with her, take the kids, just disappear.”

“So what'd you do?” Hope questions him before he could continue.

“Put her on a bus.”

“Wait, you sent her away?”

“Yes blondie, what she wanted, I couldn't give her.” Kevin told them, sadness was evident in his voice. “Checked into rehab the next day. I thought if I could get clean...That's where I was when she disappeared. By the time I got out, she was dead.”

“But, how could you be sure she was dead?”

“She stopped calling me, detective. If she was alive, she would’ve called.”

The moment Hope and Lizzie drive back to their station, the two continue to discuss what could have happened that led to Mary’s death.

“Well, an affair certainly explains a lot. Sam kills Mary, or he and his lover kill Mary together.” Lizzie suggests.

  
  
  


“Well, who then kills Sam?”

“The lover, when Sam backs out after all she's done for him.” Hope chuckles at Lizzie’s theories.

“How do you come up with these things, Saltzman?”

“I did not come up with this one. They did.” Lizzie explains further, “Okay, you speak "guy."- if Sam had a lover, would his best friend know about it?”

“Yes.”

The two of them drove back to Max Wyler’s work to ask him more questions, now that they had talked to Kevin.

  
  


“Detective.”

“You lied to us, Mr. Wyler.” Hope says as soon as she gets out of the car and heads towards where Max is.

“Excuse me?”

“You don't think maybe it's relevant your buddy Samuel had an affair right about the time Mary disappeared?” Lizzie confronts him.

“That was a long time ago.” Max defends himself. “What's the point of dragging everybody through the mud? Haven't their kids been through enough? Don't they deserve some peace?”

“What they deserve is to know what happened to their mother.” Hope tells him, not buying his excuse.”

“Elaine Ford. Elaine Ford is her name, she worked with Sam at his bank.” Max informs them, and soon as they got this new detail they immediately went to the bank where Samuel used to work and invited Elaine over to the station.

“Mrs. Ford, I’m Detective Mikaelson, this is Lizzie Saltzman.” She introduces themselves as they take a seat in front of Mrs. Ford.

“Why am I here?”

“Does the name Samuel Cavanaugh ring a bell?” Lizzie asks.

“What about him?”

“We found the body of his wife Mary. From the looks of it, she was killed. Somewhere around the time the two of you were having an affair.” Hope explains to Mrs. Ford.

“I'm afraid I don't know what you mean.”

“Do you really want me to start digging around in your life, Mrs. Ford?” Hope challenges Elaine. “Because that's exactly what I will do. I'll go through your old phone records, your credit card statements. I'll even talk to your husband if I have to.”

This does the trick as Elaine starts to beg Hope, “Please. Please don't do that. Peter doesn’t know anything about it.”

“Okay. Just walk us through what you know.”

“I met Sam when I got transferred to the downtown branch. He was in new accounts. We were both pretty unhappy at the time.”

“How long was the affair?” Hope interrupts her, getting a little impatient.

“Not long. Six months.”

“How did it end?” Lizzie had asked.

“I realized I loved my husband.”

“Oh please. No one ends an affair because they realize they're still in love. They end an affair because they're scared-- scared of taking it to the next level, scared of being found out, scared of ruining their life.” Lizzie glances at Hope as if once again asking for her approval. "So tell us, Elaine, what were you scared of?”

And without even stuttering, Elaine answered Lizzie’s question, “Him. I was scared of Sam”

“Why?” The detective then asks

“He started to ask me what I would do if he wasn't with his wife, if she wasn’t in the picture anymore.”

“And when was that?”

“A few weeks before she disappeared. When I found out she was missing, I broke things off. He became angry. It got so bad that I had to transfer to another branch.”

“You--I'm sorry. You had to, uh…” Hope stood up, paced back and forth and came back closer to the table.

“Five years, Mrs. Ford. Five whole years, and you never came forward?” Hope questions Mrs. Ford, clearly not believing what she had just heard.

“What's it matter if Sam killed Mary? He's dead. They're both dead. What's it matter anymore?”

After Mrs. Ford, was sent home, Hope went back to their murder board to think further of what exactly had happened. She’s starting to get frustrated for not getting any answers yet.

“How'd you do it, Sam?” Hope asks herself.

* * *

Meanwhile in the Saltzman apartment, Josie and Lizzie were busy playing laser tag in their living room.

“Ha! Run, rebel run!” Lizzie says as she sees Josie running away from her. “But you'll never defeat the forces of voltar.”

“Aah! Death to voltar! Death to the voltarians!” Josie says across the room as she aims her laser gun at her sister.

“I sense fear in you.” Lizzie said, taunting Josie as she tries to hide behind one of the pillars in their living room.

“You sense nothing!” Josie says as she tries to shoot Lizzie again, only this time it was Caroline she shoots by accident.

“Ah!” Their mother exclaimed, acting as if she was actually hurt. “Has anyone seen my purse?” She asks her twins.

“Mom, we are totally doing battle on the field of honor.” Josie says as she hands the purse to Caroline which was lying on the couch.

“How old are the two of you again?” Caroline asks in disbelief but smiling nonetheless with how playful her daughters are despite how busy the two gets with adult life.

“Old enough to afford a top-of-the-line laser tag.” Lizzie replied. However, what she didn’t notice was Josie was hiding behind Caroline and she suddenly appears and shoots her in the chest.

“Ha! You’re dead.” Josie did a happy dance after defeating her sister once again.

“Mom! Now Voltar will never rule the omniverse.” Lizzie tells Caroline, she was disappointed that their mother had interrupted them.

Suddenly, their doorbell rings.

“Somebody ordered food?” Lizzie asked her mother and sister who both answered no. “Well, I better check this out.” Lizzie said as she walked towards the door Her laser gun ready to aim at whoever was at the door.

When she had opened it though, and tried to playfully shoot the person at the doorway, she was surprised to see Hope.

“Hi?”

“Hi.”

“Who is it?” Josie suddenly appears behind her.

“Detective Mikaelson.”

“Darling, are we entertaining?” Caroline asked, surprised to see Hope as well.

“Um…”

“Lizzie!” Josie reminded her twin about their guest who was still standing outside.

“Yeah?” She asks her twins.

“Manners..”

“Right. Come in please.” Lizzie says as she ushers Hope inside their apartment. “Uh, you remember my mother, Caroline and my twin sister - Josie.”

“Hi!” 

“I didn’t know you guys are twins.”

“Oh, don’t worry. Not everyone notices that right away. We’re fraternals.” Josie explains.

“So um, can I make you a drink?” Lizzie had asked Hope to make an excuse for them to talk privately. 

The two then moved to the library, and Lizzie had closed the door, sensing they would be having a serious talk.

“I feel like... Alfred in the batcave for the first time.” Hope comments as she walks further inside the library.

“Hmm... batman fan. Figures.”

“Why?”

“Similar origin stories? Loss of a loved one leads to a life of fighting crime.” Lizzie says as she starts to take off her laser tag gears.

“Yes, well, you are the multimillionaire crime fighter.”

“Yeah?”

Lizzie notices Hope walking towards her board where she had the outline of her book.

“That's, uh, where I outline my books.” Lizzie explained to Hope as she started to click a few buttons. Almost forgetting why she went there in the first place.

“That’s funny. This looks alot like our...murder board.”

“Yeah, except mine's fake.” 

“Yeah”

Lizzie sensed that something was bothering Hope so she finally decides to ask her, “Something wrong?”

“I can't find it.” Hope’s voice was so small that if Lizzie hadn’t paid much attention to the other girl she wouldn’t hear what she had said. 

“Find what?”

“The answer.” 

Hope stares longingly at Lizzie and Hope really doesn’t know why she went to Saltzman's apartment. She wasn’t even sure why she had to go to Lizzie in the first place, when she could’ve gone to either MG or Kaleb. All she knows is that she wanted to find comfort from Lizzie’s reassuring words, but she was also scared at the same time because she doesn’t understand as to why it has to be Lizzie.

“It was Sam.” Lizzie tells the other girl confidently, Everything fits. It's a good ending.”

“Yeah, but without proof, it's just a theory. And that family-- those kids--They need more than just a theory. They need to know. I need to know.”

“Well, you have an ending. You want the rest, you need to work backwards. You need to finish the story. You have an ending. You have your killer. You just have to put it all together. With the facts at hand.”

“The facts?”

“Fact-- they had two small children.”

“So?”

“Based on police statements, they didn't have a babysitter. With him at work,she would've had to have been with the kids the day she disappeared.

“But Sam said that she left later that night.”

“Which the doorman was never able to corroborate.” Lizzie explains further.

“So if she was there and she never left, then…” Hope intervenes, however, Lizzie interrupts her with continuing her theory. 

“Then she was murdered in the apartment.”

“Yeah. Another fact-- He lived somewhere in the South of Mystic Falls.”

“And like most people He didn't own a car.” Hope continues.

“So what is a good husband to do living in the south of mystic falls with his wife's body?” Lizzie then asks. This has been how the two of them worked.

“He can't leave it in the apartment. He can't walk out the lobby with it. So the only question is...how did he get the body to the storage unit?”

However, the two of them couldn’t figure out how it could have happened, until Lizzie had a crazy idea.

“You know what helps?”

“Yeah?”

“Sometimes when I'm trying to figure out how a character of mine does something, I will walk the crime scene. This one time, I was trying to figure out how to throw someone off the empire state building, and that movie "sleepless in seattle'' had just come out. Oh, so many lonely women approached me, thinking I was their Tom Hanks, I got-”

“Saltzman!”

“The point is, you want to get into a killer's head, Go to where the killer was, and see what problems he had to face.”

“Field trip?” Hope had asked the blonde author.

* * *

The following day, the first thing Hope and Lizzie did was to go back to Robert’s apartment, which is the old apartment of Samuel.

“They told me he was shot in a mugging, and now you're telling me he was killed. Here in my apartment?” Robert asked his visitors.

“Not him, his wife.” Lizzie answered the polite man.

“His wife? What kind of family was this?”Robert asks them, starting to get scared for his own life. However, his visitors ignore him.

“All right. So you and I are married.”

“We are not married.”

“Hope, will you please relax for a whole second? It's just pretend.”

“I don't want to pretend.”

Lizzie replies in her best teasing tone, “Scared you'll like it?”

“Okay, if we're married, I want a divorce.”

Robert then interrupts, “Are you two like this all the time?”

“Yes.” They both answered like an old married couple.

“All right, we're not married, but they were.” Lizzie starts again. “Let's say the doorman's right. Mary gets home about 4:00.”

“She'd have to make dinner for the kids.” Hope supplies as they moved towards the kitchen, trying to reenact every possible scene that could have took place during the murder of Mary. 

“Then Sam comes home.”

“Banker's hours. Around 6:00.” Hope adds, “Figure the kids have already eaten.” 

“So they're, what, um…watching tv in the bedroom.”

“In my bedroom?” Robert asks.

“Shh. We’re in a roll.” Lizzie scolds him for having them interrupted.

“They have a fight.” Hope says

“About the affair.”

“Things got heated.” Lizzie concludes

Hope nods in agreement, “And she turns her head--He whacks her with something.” The two of them randomly grab something off the sink, then turn around to face each other.

“A pot.” Lizzie says.

“Or a pan” According to Hope.

“Bam. Fractures her skull. It's over.” Lizzie says as she puts down the pot she was holding.

“Except the kids are still in the bedroom.” Hope said, “He's got to figure out a way of getting her out of the apartment without them seeing.”

“Hallway bathroom.” Lizzie runs towards the bathroom to check if it’s a possibility. When she sees it was, she continues,

“He needed to buy time. Okay, so he, um... he puts the body in the tub, closes the door…”

“And tells the kids that mom went to the store.” Hope says in agreement. “Which, according to the case file, the doorman was never able to substantiate.”

“Okay, so no car.” Lizzie says, thinking of a possible way the body could have been transported.

“How does he get the body out of the apartment?” Hope wonders.

“Maybe he hailed a cab.” Robert suggested.

“Yeah, maybe the cabbie and the doorman helped him stuff the body in the trunk. How much do you tip for that these days?” Hope asks jokingly.

“The doorman.”

“Saltzman, I'm joking.”

“No. I mean, what if the body was already in the freezer when he took it out of the apartment?”

“Freezer? He'd be needing a truck.” Robert butts in.

Lizzie then moves closer to him, “In my building, if you have something picked up or delivered, you have to sign for it.”

“Yeah, here, too. A delivery that big, you have to sign the ledger.” Robert tells Lizzie.

“The ledger?” Hope asks, a little confused.

“The doorman's ledger downstairs.” Robert replies.

Hope and Lizzie then leave Robert’s apartment to go downstairs and to borrow the ledger from the doorman and as soon as they find the name of the person who received the freezer, they immediately go back up the building. Where an old lady answers the door for them.

“Yeah, that’s my name.” The woman whose name is Dolores confirms after Lizzie shows her her name in the ledger.

“I know it was five years ago, Mrs. Marks, but the only delivery that day was to your apartment. If you remember anything at all about the delivery…” Hope had asked the old lady, careful as to not have her feel scared of her questioning.

“I-I remember i had to go downstairs and sort everything out.” She begins to explain, however, Lizzie cuts her off.

“What do you mean sort everything out?”

“I told the doorman I never ordered a freezer. But the guy brought it on up. He loaded it on the freight elevator while I was talking to the doorman.”

  
  
  


“So what happened when you were downstairs?” Hope asks again, eager to finally get an answer.

“I told the doorman they got the wrong apartment again.And then by the time I got back upstairs, the guy was gone. Does this have anything to do with that missing woman?” Mrs. Dolores then asks the two women at her door.

“Yeah, it does.” Hope replied.

“Yeah, 'cause I already told the other cop.”

“Detective Sloan?” Lizzie questions.

“I don't know his name, but I told him everything, same as you.”

When Hope and Lizzie finally left Mrs. Dolores, the two of them went back again to Max’s office.

“I don't get it. If Sloan had that woman's report, why didn't he just follow up?” Lizzie asks as they are walking towards Max Wyler’s office.

“He wasn't looking for the story. He'd already written it.”

“But- If you wanted some help with some heavy lifting, Who would you call?”

“Your best friend.”

Back again at the station, Hope had invited Max for another set of interview.

“We can trace the rental of the delivery truck to you, Mr. Wyler. If you want, I can bring the lady you delivered the freezer to in to identify you.”

“Look, I had nothing to do with what happened to Mary.”

“You lied about everything else. Why not about this?” Hope asks him, her voice was stern.

“I never had any reason to hurt her.”

“But Sam did, right?” Lizzie asks him as she finally take a seat beside Hope. “I mean, she kept going back to her ex-boyfriend. How much can a guy take?”

Max rubbed his temples, knowing all to well that he can’t lie about this ever again, so he answers honestly, “He called me that night. He said...He needed me to come over right away. When I got there, the kids were asleep, and Mary was in the tub...in a garment bag. He said she came at him, and he just snapped.”

“Here's an idea-- instead of killing her, why not just get a divorce?” Hope asked him once again in a sarcastic manner.”

“You don't think I know how wrong this was?”

“Why did you take the risk? Why did you move that body?” Lizzie taunts him 

“Because he made a very bad mistake. And what about the kids? Their mom is dead. If he goes to prison…”

“So you arranged for the truck.” Hope moves a little closer to him, just to spite him and to get him to confess.

“He said it could never be traced back to him. That's why we sent the freezer to the old lady, that's why I rented out the storage space--because we knew the cops would look at Sam.”

“You made the payments?”

“Yes, detective. Sam couldn't take any chances. He'd give me the cash, and I'd stop by twice a year.”

“For five years?” Lizzie tries to confirms as she squeezes in to Hope’s thigh, knowing that the detective was losing her patience, and it took Lizzie by surprise when Hope had squeezed her hand that was on her thigh.

“It seemed a lot easier than moving her.”

Hope now went back to asking the questions, “Why did you stop paying?

  
  


“Look, I'm truly sorry about what happened to Mary. But what was I supposed to do, keep paying for the rest of my life?”

“The DA will make sure of that, Mr. Wyler.” Hope confirms before she walked away with Lizzie following her behind.

Outside, Hope and Lizzie went to discuss the case with Captain Hudson, “Her body gets dumped because this guy Wyler didn't pay a bill? That's…”

“You can say it. Pretty cold.” Lizzie says as she tries her best not to laugh at her own joke. “Ironic that such a selfish act ultimately revealed the truth.” She continues,

Then Hope says, “ There were people who knew the truth all along. They just chose not to come forward.”

“Still, karma comes back and puts a cap in her husband's ass.” Captain Hudson, said before he went back inside of his office.

“I'm gonna go talk to Mary's parents, let 'em know how this all shook out. You wanna come?” Hope asks Lizzie who was busy browsing Mary’s case files.

“The woman with the freezer delivery told us she talked to a cop.”

“Yeah. Sloan.”

“Only he didn't list her name in his report.” Lizzie said as she finally looks up to Hope.

“He didn't feel that it was important. After all, he didn't believe he was looking at a murder.”

“Right, so if you're not investigating a murder, why would you talk to the neighbor about a freezer delivery?” Lizzie asked Hope again.

Then the two went back to Mrs. Marks apartment before they head to the hous of Mary’s parents.

“This must be some freezer.” Mrs. Marks greets them sarcastically.

“You mentioned a police officer, Mrs. Marks.” Hope starts, “I know it's been five years, but do you--”

“I never said it was five years ago.”

“When did he come to see you?” Lizzie asks getting confused again of the given situation.

“Last year sometime.” Mrs. Marks answered to them. “I remember thinking, why is this cop asking me questions about a freezer I never ordered?”

“Do you remember anything about the man who came to see you?” Lizzie continues to ask.

“Uh, he was older.”

“Uniformed?”

“No. Plainclothes like you. He had gray hair, and he walked with a limp.”

“Ben Hobbes.”

“Mary’s dad.”

The two of them had thanked Mrs. Marks for all her help and they drove to the house of Mary’s parents. When they got there, they sat for a moment at Hope’s car. Looking at the happy family inside the house.

“You could just leave it like this.” Lizzie tells Hope, obviously feeling bad that they have to arrest an old man. “Sam's dead. The captain's happy. Those kids look pretty happy.”

“That's the difference between a novel and the real world, Liz. A cop doesn't get to decide how the story ends.” Hope says before she went out of her and heads towards the house.

“Detective Mikaelson.” Ben Hobbes greets her. 

“Sir, I'm gonna have to take you with me down to the station.”

“Who is it, honey?” Mrs. Hobbes appears behind him.

When they got to the station. Hope and Lizzie had brought him to the box where they usually conduct the interrogations.

“So I'm here because I questioned a woman about a freezer?”

“Not any freezer, Mr. Hobbes.” Lizzie informs him , “The freezer that your daughter's body was stored in.” 

“For the moment, let's-- let's assume what you say is true. What's the charge?” Mr. Hobbes asked the two of them, his voice was starting to crack.

“If Mrs. Mark's answer led to Sam's death,then the charge would be murder.” Hope answers him carefully.

“I kept going over everything Sam said, everything he claimed happened that night, Until { came to the same conclusion that you both apparently did-- that Mary never left her apartment alive. Mrs. Mark's answers merely confirmed what I already knew.”

“That your son-in-law was a killer.” Hope tells him then.

Lizzie then made a follow up question, “if you had figured out what Sam had done, why not just go to the police? He would've gone to prison for the rest of his life.”

“If he'd been convicted.” Mr. Hobbes states. “They didn't have a- a body at the time, remember? His lawyers would've put Mary on trial, not him.”

  
  


“So you took matters into your own hands.”

“Well, you can certainly understand how a father might want to, detective. How he might follow his daughter's murderer. One dark night when he was sure no other people would be around, how he might confront him with a gun he'd brought back from the war, might even promise forgiveness in exchange for the truth. And hearing his admission.. Be overcome with rage. Every time he brought the girls to see us, I watched a little piece of my wife die. A visit from your grandkids should be life-affirming. Not a reminder of how your only child was murdered.” Mr. Hobbes tells them, tears starts to fall from his eyes.

“Killing him wasn't the answer.” Hope concludes.

“I never said P killed him. I said a father might be justified. The police told me Sam was shot in a robbery, and without evidce, there'd be little chance that his killer would ever be brought to justice. So i guess we'll find out if that's really true. And I'd like to see a- lawyer if I could.”

As soon as they left Mr. Hobbes, Lizzie made a phone call to Josie, telling her she might be heading home a little and when she went back to Hope’s desk she was surprised that Hope starts opening up to her.

“By the way, it was my mother, not my father. We were supposed to go to dinner together--My mom, my dad and I-- And she was gonna meet us at the restaurant, But she never showed. Two hours later, we went home. And there was a detective waiting for us. Detective Raglin.They found her body. She had been stabbed.”

“A roberry?”

“No. She still had her money and purse and jewelry. And it wasn't a sexual assault, either. They attributed it to gang violence. Random wayward event. So just like in Mary's case, they couldn't think outside the box. So they just tried to package it up nicely, and the killer was never caught.”

“Why do you wear the watch?” 

“My dad took her death hard. He's sober now. Five years. So... This is for the life that I saved” Hope’s runs her fingers on her watch, “And...this is for the life that I lost.” She continues, as she pulls out her necklace with a ring as a pendant. “So...I guess your Amber Heat has a backstory now, Saltzman.”

“I don't know. Um...I did kinda like the hooker-by-day, cop-by-night thing.” Lizzie jokes to lighten up the mood between the two of them, and this earns her a light punch on the shoulder and giggle from Hope.

“But, uh… I guess a heavy emotional angle could work, too.” She says, smiling at Hope sincerely.

“Well...Don't bewilder your audiences with substance on my account, Saltzman.” She said as she stood up and gets ready to head home.  
  


“Until tomorrow, detective.”

“You can't just say "night"?

“I'm a writer. Night is boring. Until tomorrow is more... _hopeful_.”

“Yeah, well...I'm a cop. So, night.”

As soon as Hope gets home, she then decides to give her old man, Klaus a call.

Lizzie then stayed a little while at the station to ask for a little favor from MG.

The two of them went down to a room full of case files, MG then retrieves the files for Hayley Marshall, Hope’s mother.

As soon as MG hands it to the girl, he warns her “Remember, this never happened. I was never here.”

“Yes MG. You have my word.”

“Thanks.”

“If you tell her I did this", MG said pointing at the folder Lizzie was now holding, “You’re gonna have to pay for it.”

“Understood.”

“Good luck.”

And with that, MG and Lizzie had parted ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos are well appreciated. Also, don't forget to say hi to me on my twitter: @gaywitchtribrid


	3. A Death in the Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope and Lizzie went to investigate a death of a surgeon which turns into a huge plot twist after they found out that the murder involves a mob family.
> 
> (we have a visitor in this chapter)
> 
> HAVE FUN!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw, I always forgot to include this on the previous chapters, but here are some of the terms I might be using in the entire story:
> 
> COD - cause of death  
> MF - mystic falls  
> MFPD - mystic falls police department  
> CSU- crime scene unit  
> ME- medical examiner

Penelope and Josie were in the middle of their lunch date when Penelope got a call about a downtown murder and she’s needed there immediately. It’s times like this Penelope hates to be working alone, there’s no one there to fill in for her in case she doesn’t feel like going to work. Being head of the crime scene unit definitely has its own pros and cons. Luckily, she has the best girlfriend in the whole wide universe who understands her job.

“It’s alright babe. I’ll just grab a cab going back to work okay?”

“You sure?”

“Yes. Now go they need you there Captain Marvel.” Josie giggles as Penelope peppered her face with kisses before she exits the restaurant. “Be careful.” She calls out at the retreating form of her girlfriend.

When Penelope got to the scene, she was greeted by uniformed men and women from the MFPD surrounding an abandoned black car.

She immediately went to ask the police what she would be expecting when she opened the car. 

When she finally opened it, she was greeted by a man, probably in his early 40’s in a suit and was still on the driver’s seat. His face was wrapped with a plastic bag and the seat belt was duct taped on this neck. This was definitely something Penelope doesn’t always encounter with the job she has.

  
  


Meanwhile, in the casa Saltzman, Lizzie was busy talking to a private investigator regarding the death of Hope’s mother.

“A stabbing, Lizzie? Isn't that a little pedestrian for you? Usually when you call me, it's to ask what happens if you put a head in a microwave.” The private investigator says as he and Lizzie walk towards the library.

“Well, this one's a little less made-up. The victim is the mother of the detective I've been following around.” Lizzie then hands Hayley’s case file to the private investigator for him to look into. “The case has been cold for ten years. “I just figured, since you're the best private investigator in the city, maybe you could catch something they missed.”

“You know reality isn't fiction, right? The odds of finding anyone's killer after ten years”

“Astronomical, I know. But I'd appreciate it if you took a look.”

“Well, I'll do what I can. Just don't go making any promises I can't keep.”

“Of course not.” Lizzie says as she ushered her visitor out of their apartment. “Thanks again.”

“I appreciate it.”

“What was he doing here?” Caroline suddenly comes out of nowhere

“Just a little consulting.”

“It sounded to me like you were looking into Detective Mikaelson’s mother’s murder.”

“Must you always eavesdrop?”

“I happened to walk by your library. I live here, too, you know.”

“Yes, I’m aware of that.”

“So does she know you're poking into her mother's case?”

“What's the sense in telling her until I find something new?”

“Well, do you ever stop to think you're invading her privacy?”

“Mom, I'm not poking through her underwear drawer. I'm investigating her mother's murder.”

“You are digging up her past, darling, without her permission. Now you either tell her or leave it alone.”

Lizzie was about to say something again to her mother when her phone started ringing, when she lifted it up from the kitchen counter she saw that it was Hope calling her.

After the brief call with Hope, Lizzie immediately drove to the crime scene for her to meet with the team. 

  
  


When she got there, she found Hope right away, talking to Penelope in a car where the body is located.

“Mm-Hmm. Car was towed a few hours ago. Parking violations. When the attendant went to look for the vin number, he found the vic slumped over with a bag on his head.” Penelope explains.

“Six parking tickets and a tow sticker, and no one bothers to look inside?” Kaleb says obviously amused by the scenario in front of them. 

“Tinted windows, sunshade on the windshield.” MG says

“You'd think someone would try to at least look inside.”

“Yeah, welcome to Mystic Falls, Lizzie.” Hope says before she went to ask Penelope about the victim.“ You got an ID?”

“Yeah, Dr. Joshua Reid, 42. According to the business cards in his wallet, he's a plastic surgeon. The car is also registered to him as well.”

“Any money in the wallet?”

“Yeah, a couple of hundred bucks.”

“Well, I guess we can rule out robbery.” 

“A plastic bag and duct tape- not a very efficient way to kill someone.”

Hope then answers Lizzie as she moves closer to the dead body, “No, but it's very personal. All right, find and notify next of kin. Let's see how long he's been missing.”

“From the state of decay, I'd say about a week.” Penelope mentions

“That matches the date on the first parking ticket.”Kaleb confirms as he checks on his notepad.

“Preliminary cause of death indicates asphyxiation, but I'll run toxicology just in case.”

“That bag's pretty thin. Why wouldn't he just rip it off?” Lizzie asks as she notices the plastic bag wrapped on the victim’s face.

“He must've been restrained.” MG answers too as he went to take a look at the body.

“That's only half the story. His fingernails were removed. And each finger presents signs Of having been broken premortem.” Penelope then lifted one of the victim’s hands to show it to the group.

“Broken?”

“If I had to guess, I'd say our doctor was tortured before he was killed.”

  
  


* * *

As soon as they all got back to the station, Penelope then showed the victim's body to his fiance to confirm if it was him.

“His fiancée Courtney Morantz. She reported him missing a week ago.”

“Hey, MG, CSU have any luck with the car?”

“The only thing I got from them, Hope, is that they're running prints, testing fibers and that we should have results by tomorrow.”

“Alright, thanks.”

“Ms. Morantz, I’m Hope Mikaelson. I'm the detective working on your fiance's case..I'm very sorry about your loss. I was wondering if I could take a moment of your time.”

Hope and Lizzie brought Ms. Morantz at one of the meeting rooms for them to discuss further what had happened to her fiance and what could have possibly led to his death.

“I knew it. When he didn't come home, I just felt it.” 

“How long were you engaged?”

“Almost a year. We were gonna get married next month, at the gardens.”

“What did they want, money?” Ms. Morantz questioned.

“It doesn't appear to be a robbery.”

“Then why?”

“Was Joshua involved in anything that might've brought him into contact with criminal elements?”

“No. No, not my Josh. That's just not who he was.”

“On the day he disappeared, did you notice anything different about him?”

“Uh, different?”

“Yeah. Did he seem worried or scared or distracted?”

“No detective, he was fine. I mean, we were gonna meet, because we were gonna go taste some cakes. When he didn't show, I called the office and they said he'd left, so I called his cellphone, but he didn't pick up.”

Lizzie then asked Ms. Morantz, “If his office was in midtown, do you have any idea why his car would be found on 133rd street?”

“133rd street? He'd never go that far north. He always took the midtown tunnel and if he was gonna be late, he'd call.. He'd always call. He'd always let me know.” Ms. Morantz then started sobbing, she can only imagine now what Joshua could’ve gone through before he finally succumbed to his death.

After their meeting with Ms. Morantz, Hope and Lizzie then went back to Hope’s work area to meet with MG and Kaleb to discuss their next moves regarding this case.

“Anything on the canvass?” Hope asks as soon as she sees the boys.

“Nada.” Kaleb was the first one to reply. ”Locals only remember seeing the car after the tickets. No security cameras on the street.”

“Fiancée's story checks out. Cake shop confirms she was there waiting.” MG tells them after he had finished his phone call with the cake shop Ms. Morantz was supposed to meet Mr. Reid.

“How'd he wind up dead on a street on the other side where he works, this just doesn’t make any sense.”

“Well, maybe he had secrets even his fiancée didn't know about.”

“Like maybe he secretly made a living out of using his surgeon skills to harvest organs off of tourists for the black market organ trade.” Lizzie was once again on a roll with her theories, “Whoa, that was a good one. I'm writing that down.” She then goes to Hope’s desk to write down on her beloved writer’s notebook.

“So instead of making up stories. We are going to establish a timeline. When did he get his first ticket?”

“Last Wednesday morning. Okay, so you guys go to the midtown garage.” Kaleb says as he goes back to his notes to confirm the details he’s giving Hope.

“Okay, you and MG go there while Lizzie and I go for a visit to his office.”

“Okay. Cool.”

As Hope and Lizzie were walking towards the elevator, Lizzie suddenly stopped Hope.

“Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Since when do you ask permission to ask questions?”

“It's about your mother's case. Have you ever thought about... reopening it?”

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing. I just thought if we worked together-”

“No.”

“I have resources.”

“Saltzman, you touch my mom's case, you and I are done.” 

“Do you understand?”

“Okay. But why don't you want to investigate it?”

“Same reason a recovering alcoholic doesn't drink. You don't think I haven't been down there? You don't think I haven't memorized every line in that file? My first three years on the force, Every off duty moment was spent looking for something someone missed. It took me a year of therapy to realize if I didn't let it go, it was gonna destroy me. And so I let it go.” Hope says as she tries to dismiss this topic with Lizzie.

“Sorry. I didn't know.”

“Yeah, well now you do.” Hope says as she tries to dismiss this topic with Lizzie.

The two finally arrived at Joshua Reid’s clinic some time in the afternoon where the two of them went to talk and investigate his staff.

“It wasn't like him to disappear. I think that, deep down, we all knew that, um, that something was wrong.” One of the nurse tells Hope and Lizzie

“Did he seem agitated at all?”

“No detective. Not at all. I mean, it was pretty much business as usual.”

The male nurse then spoke up, “Except for the wedding. We were trying to clear his schedule for the honeymoon.”

“When was the last time you saw him?”

“Last tuesday. He was on his way to meet his fiancée.”

“What time did he leave the office?”

“Um… Around 5:30.”

“Yeah. When I called at 6:00, he was fine. He said he was in traffic at the tunnel.” Another nurse tells the two.

“Did Dr. Reid have any enemies? Anyone that he had operated on who had had complications. Or a bad experience?” Lizzie asked them, trying to get as much needed information they can squeeze from the nurses.

“None of his patients had complications.” Isobel told them. She was the head of the nurses so she would basically know if there’s someone who didn’t like the procedure.

“That doesn't mean that they were always happy. Cosmetic surgery is about self-Image. For some people, it changes their lives. For others, nothing's ever enough.” Miguel says, remembering his encounter with one of the patients.

“Did any of his patients ever threaten him?”

“One. Tracey Goldberg.” Isobel stood up and went to their filing cabinet to retrieve the file of the said patient and hand it over to Detective Mikaelson. “She was a patient of Dr. Reid until about three months ago.”

“What happened?”

“She wanted a facelift.”

“So?”

“So she already had three, and Dr. Reid refused to perform the operation.”

“So what'd she do?” 

“She sued him. It was thrown out of court, of course.”

“That's when the threats started.” 

Back at the station, Hope and Lizzie presented the progress of their investigation to Captain Hudson, 

“At the very least, she should be arrested. For violating the laws of nature.” He said as he was looking at Ms. Goldberg’s photo which were now hang up on the murder board.

MG then approaches the team, “Check this out. Tracey Goldberg’s husband, Jack, had her committed to Bellevue a month ago. For psychiatric treatment for her little obsession.” 

Kaleb then asked them, “Guess who testified in support of her commitment?”

“Dr. Joshua Reid.” Hope answered.

“Mm-Hmm. Mandatory 1- Month treatment program. She was released last week. Three days before our doctor went missing. Kaleb confirms.

“Mentally unstable plastic surgery chick. That is way better than harvesting organs. Get her in here.” Lizzie was once again getting excited to talk to the suspect.

The following day, they finally have Tracey Goldberg inside the box.

“Wow. Look at her. How can anyone do that to themselves?” MG says as they were all looking at her outside the box before getting in there to have her interviewed.

“Right? It's like she escaped from "the island of Dr. Moreau."

“Come on, guys, she's not an animal. She's a human being.” Hope reprimands MG and Lizzie about the way they have commented on Tracey's appearance.

“Yeah, I know, but… Wait, are you being sincere or quoting "the elephant man"?” Lizzie asked Hope as she headed towards the box.

“Mrs. Goldberg, I’m Detective Mikaelson. This is Lizzie Saltzman, a consultant with the department.”

“What's this all about, detective?”

“Mrs. Goldberg, are you familiar with a plastic surgeon named Dr. Joshua Reid?”

“Yes.”

“You recently sued him for malpractice?”

“That's correct.”

“For refusing to perform elective cosmetic surgery, specifically a face-Lift, facial implants and liposuction."

“Detective, I can assure you, each procedure was medically necessary.”

“Dr. Reid didn't seem to think so.” Hope had cut her off

“Well, that arrogant bastard thought he could play god.”

“Well, if you wanted the surgery so badly, why didn’t you just see another lips - I mean doctor? Lizzie asks, biting her inner cheeks to prevent herself from laughing.

“Because I wanted the best. Who is he to deny me the best?”

“So you threatened to ruin him?” 

“Why does he get to tell me what I can and cannot do? Why does he get to decide what I look like?”

“Is that why you killed him?” Hope finally went directly to ask her, she needed to know the answer right away.

“What?”

“Dr. Reid was murdered last week.”

“Murdered?”

“A couple of days after you were released from the psychiatric treatment facility the Reid helped commit you to. Hope then look at Ms. Goldberg’s lawyer. “That's a motive and opportunity, counselor.”

“I said I'd ruin him, not kill him. Big difference.”

“Then I suppose you won't mind telling me where you were last Tuesday night.”

As soon as they had finished the interview with Ms. Goldberg, Hope then went to talk to Captain Hudson.

“So where was she?” The captain asked Hope

“She was... in the hospital.”

“Getting more surgery?”

“Yep.”

“What's she got left to operate on?”

Hope then motions discretely to her groin to let the captain know where Ms. Goldberg had her surgery.

“Oh, no.”

“Oh, yes.”

“Seriously? What could they possibly do down there?”

“Well, apparently, quite a lot.”

“But if Reid had a reputation of turning people away, maybe there's someone else out there he pissed off.” Captain said as he removed the photo of Ms. Goldberg from the murder board, knowing that she isn’t a prime suspect.

“Yeah, Greasely and Hawkins are already looking through the patient list but CSU came back clean from the car. It would be almost impossible for a run-of-the-mill. Revenge murderer to be that invisible.”

“You think it's professional?”

“I don't know. Mrs. Goldberg had enough money to pay someone to do it, and her surgery is a pretty convenient alibi. But torture and suffocation? That doesn't seem like the work of a disgruntled trophy wife turning 50.”

“A surgeon with broken fingers? That's someone sending a message.” The captain then tells Hope before he leaves to go back inside his office.

* * *

Later that day, MG and Kaleb went to Dr. Reid’s clinic to search in his office what possible or who could be the possible person who had done this to him.

“Staff just went through all the files. No other red flags. Any dark secrets in here?” MG asked Kaleb who was going through Dr. Reid’s desk drawer.

“Yeah... Dr. Reid had a weakness. Energy bars.” He jokes. “He volunteered at doctors international, did pro bono work. The guy's a boy scout. Hell, he didn't even have any porn on his computer.”

“Yeah that’s weird”

“I know. You know what he had in his locked desk drawer?”

“What a fifth bottle of scotch?” MG asks as he moves over the pile of folders on the cabinet to check if there could be a person that would be suspicious enough for them to consider as the suspect.

“No.” Kaleb dismisses his partner’s joke. “Checkbook. The guy locked up his checkbook. I mean who does that? Shouldn't checkbooks be hidden somewhere safe? Anyway, what about these folders?”

“Wedding stuff- tuxedo deposits, catering invoices.”

“Maybe some angry couple killed him for their wedding venue, hmm? It's as good a theory as any.”

“Hey. These aren't all wedding files.” MG cuts Kaleb from his theories. All the patient information is blacked out. Maybe Dr. Reid has a secret after all.”

The two of them went back outside to talk to Isobel about the files they had recently discovered.

“It's his handwriting, but... I've never seen these files before.”

“Can you identify that patient?”

“Not from his notes. Just that it was a male, 55 years old.

“How about this kind of procedure?” 

  
  


“This is impossible. I'm his primary nurse. I run his surgical team. He never operates without me.”

“Apparently, he did.”

“Miguel, check on Dr. Reid’s calendar. What do you have for March 18th?”

“He... was supposed to be down at St. Mary University attending a panel on reconstructive surgery.”

Isobel was definitely not understanding what just happened, she felt betrayed by her own boss. “Why would he lie? Why would he operate without me?”

After MG and Kaleb had their visit at Dr. Reid’s clinic, they went back immediately to the station to have an emergency meeting with the team to discuss the information that they had gathered.

“According to the hospital, the procedure lasted nine hours. Neither the assisting nor the anesthesiologist were with the hospital. Both were brought in by Dr. Reid. Neither of his regulars.” MG explained.

“A 9-Hour mystery operation he didn't want his own people to know about. The hospital must've had some record of the patient.” Captain Hudson says as he turns to his team.

Kaleb then came rushing towards them to give the additional information he got from the call he had with the hospital.

“Get this- the hospital can't find the file. It's like it never happened.” 

“Who did you talk to?” Lizzie interrupts him this time.

“Patient information.”

“Well, that is your first mistake. If you want to find someone at a hospital who has a treatment there, there's only one department. It goes to where nothing ever falls through the cracks. Billing.” Lizzie says in a singsong. “Someone had to pay for it, right?”

After they had finished their meeting, Hope then makes a phone call to the hospital to ask who paid for the procedure, unfortunately she got nothing because it was wire transferred.

“Well, it looks like our mystery patient's hospital bills were paid promptly and in full.”

“By whom?”

“Wire transfer.” Hope tells Lizzie as she grabs her coffee from her. “Hey, MG, see what you can find on this account number.” 

“Alright.”

“Thanks.”

After a few minutes, MG joins them again, with news in hand. 

“Yo, you're never gonna believe this.”

“What’d you find?”

“That account the money was wired from? It belongs to the Mystic Falls Attorney's office. Whatever the procedure was, Uncle Sam paid for it.”

“I guess we can rule out boob job.” Lizzie made another joke which as always earns her an eye roll coming from Hope.

“Now what we need to know is why the DOJ had to pay for cosmetic surgery.”

“There's only one reason- To change someone's identity.”

“So you think the guy was in witness protection?”

“If Dr. Reid was tortured, I think our killer is trying to find this guy. Then we better find him first.”

“How do you find someone who's in witness protection?”

“We ask the people who are protecting him, Saltzman.”

“Ask "hard candy"? Goodluck with that, Mikaelson.”

“Hard-Hard candy?” Lizzie asked, not following the conversation.

“Assistant MF. Attorney Candace Robinson. She makes mobsters cry.”

* * *

“I'm sorry, detective, but you must know that information on a protected witness is confidential. Whether or not you have proof that we employed Dr. Reid or whether or not you have proof that an operation took place is irrelevant.”

“Not to my victim it's not. Not to his family. And certainly not to his fiancée. They were planning a life together that they will never have.”

“Look, I am not unsympathetic to your situation, detective, but we all have our jobs to do.”

“Ms. Robinson, doesn't it matter to you that the man that you employed was killed and whoever murdered him might be looking for your witness?”

“Detective, you are asking me to expose a witness, during an ongoing federal investigation and I am telling you, that is not going to happen.”

When Hope and Lizzie left Atty. Robinson’s office, the two started discussing the possible options for them to solve this case.

“So, what now?”

“This witness of theirs is key. Without knowing who he is or who's after him, there's no way of getting to the next step.”

“There's another way.” Lizzie said, hopeful. “We could figure out who that witness is.”

“Yeah? How?”

“Candace Robinson's office deals almost exclusively with organized crimes.”

“So?” 

“So what if we ask the other side?”

“You want to ask the mob who the witness is?”

“Clearly, they already know who he is, if they're trying to kill him. Like you said, he's got to be a significant witness, in a pretty big case.”

“So what do we do, hop in the car, drive down to the bada bing?”

  
  


“I know a guy. He owes me a favor. You "know a guy"? What is this, a mamet play?”

“I'm just saying, maybe he knows something. Maybe he can tell us something the feds won't. Just let me try this one Hope.”

“Fine. But just be careful.”

  
  


So as soon as Lizzie got home, she immediately called her resource to ask things related to this mob and she later finds out that this kind of killing is being done by someone from the Solano family- a big time mob family.

  
  


The following day, Lizzie informs the team of the information she had gathered from her resource.

  
  


“Jimmy Morgan. MG runs through their database to get his details. He's been linked to gambling, loan sharking and extortion schemes.”

Hope then orders the team; “Okay, let's start off by digging up. All known associates of the Solano family.”

“We need to talk to Morgan. Gotta see what he knows.”

“Yeah? What makes you think your friend "hard candy" is going to cooperate with you now?”

“You have your sources. I have mine.”

“Oh, it's not your ex boyfriend, is it? Mr. FBI- tall, brooding and judgmental?”

“Why, yes, in fact, it is. Is that a problem?”

“No. Not for me.”

* * *

“Well, this is a nice surprise.” Raf greets Hope as soon as he sees her standing outside of his office building.

“Yeah? Hopefully, this is a nice surprise as well.” Hope then hands him a paper bag with doughnuts. Sprinkles. Raf’s favorite.

“Sprinkles. Am I really that predictable?”

“Well, maybe I just know you too well. I mean, we did date once.”

“Yeah” 

Raf then breaks the doughnut in half, and offers the other half to Hope, but the girl refuses.

“I don't eat sprinkles anymore.”

“So, Hope, is this the part where you ask me to bend the rules to help you in your case?”

Hope then uses Raf’s words, “Am I really that predictable?”

“Maybe I just know you too well.” The two then shared a laugh. “What do you need?”

“I wanna talk to Jimmy Morgan.” She simply says.

“Jimmy Morgan the mobster?”

“Yeah.”

“What makes you think I can help with that?”

“The FBI and the MF Attorney's office have him in witness protection.”

“And you know this how?”

“Word on the street.” Hope quickly made an alibi.

“Look, even if it's true, I don't work organized crime cases.”

“Oh, come on, Raf, you and I both know how this works. You reach out to the agent in charge, he talks to the agent running the case, and then I get to talk to Jimmy Morgan.”

“And I do this for you, why?”

“Alright, let me put this another way. The Solano’s know that Jimmy is cooperating with the government. We know that they want him dead, because they murdered the surgeon you feds hired to change his face. You guys put that doctor in harm's way, so you're doing it for him, not for me.”

“Alright then, Mikaelson. This better be good.”

When Hope returns to the station, she phoned Lizzie to tell her about the good news.

“Listen, Waithe's onboard. He pulled some strings agot someone at the MF attorney’s office to cave. He's gonna let you question moran. But we gotta be there in two hours. Are you in?”

“Yes. Yes of course!”

“Okay, be ready. I’ll pick you up outside of your apartment building.”

Two hours later, Hope and Lizzie are now meeting with Raf’s team alongside Jimmy Morgan.

“Seriously, a parking garage?”

“What?”

“It's... pretty cliche?”

“Yeah, well, no one said that the feds were original.”

“Yeah, next thing you'll tell me, they'll be pulling up in a black suburban with tinted windows.”

And as if someone heard the two, a black suburban with tinted windows pulls up right next to where they were pulled.

“Oh, someone's been watching way too many Bruckheimer films.” Lizzie made a comment before she and Hope went out of the car.

“Five minutes, detective. That's all you get.” Robinsons tell her as soon as they all meet outside of their respective cars.

“The MFPD thanks you for your cooperation.” Hope answers sarcastically.

“Want me to watch the monkey?”

“That's okay, Raf. Monkey comes with me.”

“Suit yourself.”

“Hey, I really like your car. It's very nondescript.” 

“Lizzie, enough with that, let’s go. We only got five minutes remember?”

Once inside the suburban, Hope introduces herself and Lizzie to Jimmy Morgan who was seated at the back of the car, a black ski mask on his face.

“Mr. Morgan, I’m Detective Mikaelson. This is Lizzie Saltzman.”

“Lizzie Saltzman, like the novelist?”

“Exactly like.”

“I thought you guys were cops?”

“He's consulting on the case.”

“Well, look, I already told the feds everything I know. You want info on the Solano’s, ask them.”

“Actually, we're not here about the Solanos. We're here about Dr. Reid, the man who operated on you.” Hope tells him

“What about him?”

“He was found murdered last week.”

“Murdered? The doc was murdered?”

“Asphyxiated. They duct taped a plastic bag over his head.” Hope tells him more details regarding the doctor’s death. “We believe the Solano’s may have been involved.”

“May have been?”

“Given how Reid was killed and given your knowledge of the organization, we were hoping that you would be able to help identify the-”

  
  
  


Before Hope could continue, Morgan started banging on the window of the car trying to get the attention of the people outside.

“Hey! Hey!”

“What’s wrong?” Raf immediately went inside the car to see what the hell was going on.

“Get me out of here!” He says in panic.

“We can help Mr. Morgan. We can find the guys who did this. But you have to let me know if there was anyone in the Solano family that kills this way.”

“Yeah, yeah, there is. Me. The duct tape, the bag- That was my MO. Don't you get it? They're sending a message to me, and if they got to the doc... Take me back! Now!” He continues to tell Raf in panic.

After that meeting, Hope and Lizzie went back again to the station.

“Hey, how'd it go?” Kaleb asks them as soon as he spots the duo.

“Oh, do the words "unmitigated disaster" mean anything?”

“What happened?”

“We scared a key witness in a huge federal case so bad that now he won't testify.” Lizzie tells the boys in front of them. 

“Mikaelson, I just got a call from the DOJ.”

“Sir, I can explain-”

“No, no. It's-It's Waithe.”

“On the way back to the FBI safe house with Morgan, someone pulled up next to 'em and opened fire. He was in the back with the witness. They were both shot.”   
  
  


* * *

After the captain had delivered the news, the team then went to the hospital.

  
  


“Car was a late-model sedan with dealer plates. Blew the tires, starts shooting' at the back of the vehicle.”

“I thought the glass would be bulletproof.” 

“They used cop killers- Teflon rounds. Went right through the door.”

“He's still in surgery.” Hope says, it was obvious that she had been crying, Raf had always been a special part of her life afterall and after hearing what happened to him, he just couldn’t help but to cry. “Morgan's gonna be okay, though.” She informs the team.

Hope then went to the pantry area to grab some coffee, what she didn’t know is that Lizzie had followed her. Lizzie couldn’t help but be worried with her friend.

“You want to talk?” She asks Hope as she grabs the cup from Hope’s shaking hands, it was an unspoken action where Lizzie just grabbed it to pour the coffee for Hope, afterall it had been her routine to bring the detective coffee.

“There's nothing to talk about. I'm the one who pushed for it, And I’m the one who got Rafael involved.”

“There's no way you could have known this was gonna happen.” Lizzie tries to reassure the detective.

“Are you sure about that? Because their vehicle was attacked leaving our meet.”

“So?”

“So we were followed. Someone who knew about the investigation Found out about the meeting. We led them to Morgan. So yeah, I should've known.And if I were a better cop, I would've.” 

“You think this is your fault? Lizzie asked as the two of them sat down on the nearby chair. “Yeah, you pushed for it, not because it's your job, but because you care. Most people come up against a wall, they give up. Not you. You don't let go. You don't back down. That's what makes you extraordinary. He's gonna make it. He's gonna be okay.”

* * *

The next day, Hope went into the station pretty early to check everything about their investigation and to see if there was anything that they had missed.

When Lizzie came in, she saw MG and Kaleb, both fighting off their sleepiness on their respective desks while Hope can be seen busy on the murder board.

“Desk officer said she came in at 4:00 this morning. She's been at the board ever since.” MG informs Lizzie as soon as he notices the blonde.

“She called us in at 6:00 am, to recheck every person we talked to on the cas, she's had, like, nine double espressos.” Kaleb then continues as he fights off yet another set of yawns.

Lizzie then approached her, she was obviously worried about Hope.

“Hey. Been reading on the internet about this new thing called sleep. Supposed to be real good for ya.”

However, Hope just shushed her, but Lizzie being Lizzie she ignores this action.

“When I gave you that little speech last night, I really didn't mean for you to go all "beautiful mind" on me.”

“It wasn't anyone at the MF. Attorney's office. They wouldn't need us to find him. So it had to be someone that we talked to.” Hope tells Lizzie next.

“You don't think it was my mafia connection?”

“No. I don’t think so. If he's in a rival family, then they would want Morgan alive to testify because if the feds take down Solano's, then the other families can take over their territories. No, we are looking for someone who had access to the doctor before we got the case.”

“So that leaves the fiancée and his staff.” Lizzie asks.

MG then spoke up, “Yeah, except the fiancée is clean. Alibied and accounted for last night. Phone records don't indicate any calls to unknown numbers.”

“Hold on, I thought you already ran his staff up?” Lizzie then questions both MG and Kaleb.

“We did, and there were no records of anything that indicate ties to organized crime. What about last night?” Hope asked the two just to make sure they are still checking on the three nurses as they are all still possible suspects of the case.

Then Kaleb had informed them they still had the three under surveillance.

“Silvia Dowd was at dinner with friends. Miguel Guerrero worked late packing patient files,And the senior nurse, Isobel Hammond, claims she was home alone.”

“What was Miguel doing packing patient files last night?”

“They're closing up shop. Patient files are all going to new doctors. Why Saltzman?”

“It's just, doesn't that seem like a weird thing to be doing on a Friday night?”

“Yeah, well, when you're a low man on the totem pole, that's what life is like. People think they can call you in to work at 6:00 AM on a Saturday.” Kaleb says before he sips on his coffee.

“Silvia Dowd and Isobel Hammond, how long did they work for Dr. Reid?” 

“Uh, Hammond was with him for ten years. And Dowd, came on a few months back. Why?” 

“Because our low man on the totem pole Miguel Guerrero, started working for the doctor about a month ago.

“MG and I had checked him. We even called his nursing school. He's clean.”

“Check again.” Hope tells Kaleb, “They can't all be clean.”

“Where are you going?”

“To see if Miguel was actually at the office Friday night. You coming, Liz?”

“Yes. Of course.”

* * *

“Detective. Is everything okay?”

“Miguel, I need you to come with me.”

“Why?”

“We need to ask you some questions.”

“Did I do something wrong?”

Before Hope could answer Miguel’s question, her phone started ringing. It was MG calling her.

“Mikaelson. It’s Silvia.”

“What?”

“It’s Silvia. We double-checked everything, even called the nursing schools again. This time we had 'em send pictures, and the one of Silvia…It's a different girl.”

“It’s Silvia.” Hope informs Lizzie as soon as she ends her call with MG. “Where’s Silvia Dowd?” 

“She didn't come in today. Why?” Isobel asked, worried that something might have happened to her fellow nurse. 

“Detective.” Lizzie calls for Hope then shows her a calling card she found located on the front desk.

“Is Dr. Reid affiliated with St. Marcus hospital?” 

“Yeah. That's where we do our procedures.” 

“If she has a hospital ID. She can finish the job.” Hope then hurries to leave the clinic, with Lizzie instantly behind her.   
  


* * *

At the hospital, Silvia was already there. After she had logged in her details, she went directly towards the room where Jimmy is being admitted.

One of the guards stopped her to ask for her ID when it was confirmed that she was on the list, they let her in.

Once inside, Silvia had confronted Jimmy.

“I gotta say, Jimmy, you're a hard man to find.” She tells the patient as soon as he wakes up and notices the familiar face of an enemy. “Took me weeks to even find out that you changed your face.” Silvia then moves towards the dextrose to inject something but before she does, she held it up to show to the patient;

“Sodium thiopental. It's what they use in lethal injections. It's not as much fun as a plastic bag...But it does the trick. Oh, and, uh, I got a message from Junior, Jimmy. He says, go to hell. She then smirked devilishly as she injected the liquid to his dextrose.

When she was about to leave and had the door opened, she came face to face with Hope and other members of the FBI and when she tried to run towards the other side of the room, there were also other members of the FBI and she had nowhere else to go.

“You're under arrest for the murder of Dr. Reid and the attempted murder of Jimmy Morgan.”

“You’re too late, detective.” Silvia tells Hope. Lizzie then immediately went to check the dextrose to see if there’s something she could do about it. Thankfully, what Silvia missed to notice is that the wire of the dextrose she had injected the liquid was not the one attached to Jimmy.

Hope then continues, “Attempted murder of a federal witness- what's that going for these days? 

“25 to life.” Atty. Robinsons tells Hope and Silvia.

Back in the station, Hope did a quick interrogation with Silvia and as soon as she went out of the box, the captain approached her.

“Looks like you managed to set things right with the MF. Attorney's office.”

“She turned state's. When Morgan recovers, the feds will have two witnesses against the Solano’s”

“But only Silvia back there can link them to murder.”

“Oh by the way Cap, her real name is Carla Dante. They call her "Carla Coldblood." She's been killing for the family for five years now. When Jimmy dropped dime, the Solanos sent their best.”

“Lady hit man- A real blow for women's rights. And the real Silvia Dowd?”

“Works for a hospital in Seattle. She had no idea that they had stolen her identity.” Hope continues to tell her Captain more information. “Carla even pulled a recommendation off of a job hunting site, in order to apply for the position with Reid. Originally she thought she was gonna get a photograph of Morgan, and when she couldn't, she went after Reid. And then when Reid didn't talk, she killed him.

“But why stay around the office?”

“If she left before Reid’s body was found, it would have looked suspicious, and she probably didn't think he'd be sitting around for a week. Then we showed up, and she waited to see how far we’d get.”

“That's good work, detective. Very good work.”

“Thank you, sir. You know, sir, I never thought that I would be saying this, but...I don't think I could have done it without Saltzman.”

“Where is Saltzman, anyway? Shouldn’t she be here following you around?” The captain jokes.

However, what they didn’t know is that Lizzie already went home to talk to the private investigator she had hired to check on Hope’s mother’s murder case.

“The original M.E. Concluded that the stab wounds were random. Now maybe the killer got lucky, but you see this wound here?” He asks as he points to the wound on one of the images scattered on the table for Lizzie to see, Lizzie then nods as soon as she sees what the private investigator was referring to. “It's a low-angle thrust to the kidney. The wound size indicated that the knife was twisted. Her body would have gone into immediate shock.”

“What about these?” Lizzie then pointed to another photo.

“Well, their angles indicate that they were delivered after she was immobilized and on the ground. They're just for show. This is the one that killed her.” He pointed back to the original photo he had shown Lizzie.

“This is sounding less like a random killing, more like a targeted murder.” 

“There's more.” The private investigator tells Lizzie. “On a hunch, I checked the city ME files to see if this was an isolated incident and found three other stabbings around that time, the ME working the case dismissed as... random.”

“Were they related?” 

“Are you sure you want to know?”

When the private investigator left, Lizzie immediately went to consult for Caroline’s advice.

“You have to tell her, you know.”

“Mom, do you know what this would do to her?”

“You have information that could lead to her mother's killer. You can't keep that from her.”

“I know. But she said if I opened the file, that we'd be through.”

“It doesn't matter, Lizzie. She has to know.”

* * *

At the hospital, Hope was finally able to go and see Raf as he is now recovering from his gunshot wound.

“No, you didn't. Stop making me laugh.”

“Oh, come on. It's not like you've never been shot or something before.” Hope continues to laugh with Raf, despite him telling her to stop making her laugh as it causes his wound to hurt a little.

“I thought you were over sprinkles?”

“Maybe not.”

“Hey, look Hope. It’s the writer monkey.” Raf jokes as he sees Lizzie standing awkwardly by the door. “What is she still doing here?” He said in between laughs. ”Haven't you finished your book yet?”

“Last chapter.” Lizzie replied sarcastically. “Mikaelson, do you have a sec?” 

“Yeah sure.” Hope then stood up to leave Raf’s room for them to talk.

“Watch it, Hope. She likes you.”

“You'll have to forgive him. He is heavily medicated.” Hope says as she closes the door of Raf’s room. “You look awfully serious. Is everything okay?”

“Take a seat.” Lizzie tells Hope as they stepped outside the hallway.

“What?”

“Sit down.” Lizzie repeated herself, making sure Hope would take her seriously.

  
  


“Saltzman, what's going on?” Hope asked starting to get nervous with the other author’s behaviour.

“It's about your mother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, edits on typos and/or grammar errors will be done after this have been published .
> 
> Thank you everyone who had left comments on each chapter, it always make me smile whenever I read them and those kudos definitely makes me motivated. 
> 
> Lastly, don't forget that you can say hi to me on my twitter (@gaywitchtribrid) if you wish to.


	4. Bough Breaks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (TW // Gunshot) Lizzie got shot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is shorter that my usual updates because i didn't dive in to much details about the case / murder since i wanted this to focus on what had happened between Hope and Lizzie from the cliff hanger i left on the previous chapter. 
> 
> this is a little angsty, but not too much but you can expect more angst in the coming chapters.

_Lizzie Saltzman was always known for her directness when it comes to telling the truth. But right now, she just sits in silence with Hope, Silently listening to every breath the detective draws in. She honestly didn’t know where and how to start. Everything around them is like a ticking bomb._

_After Lizzie has gotten Hope out of the hospital room, she was able to persuade the detective to move to a nearby coffee shop for them to talk further without any noise to disrupt them, for them to be in a secluded area, for them to talk privately._

_Lizzie didn’t know when her hands started to shake and sweat that she only had noticed it when she had reached out for the cup of coffee._

_Then the girl in front of her finally speaks up. Her voice was gentle yet firm._

_“I thought I had made it clear for you not to work on my mother’s case?”_

_“You did. But like I said before, it’s every writer’s habit to snoop on other people’s lives.”_

_“Do you really not know how to listen, or do you really just enjoy pissing me off so much?” Lizzie wanted so bad to explain herself to Hope right now, but it was obvious that the other girl wouldn't want to hear her out. “When we started all these, that was the only thing I actually did request from you and yet here you are, and I am here, trying so hard to understand why you still did.”_

_“Hope, I’m sorry. I really am, please know that my intentions are good-”_

_“Are they really, though?”_

_“Yes Hope. I mean I know you didn’t want any of this to happen, but I just really wanted to help you out and I wanted to bring justice to what happened to you mom.”_

_“So what do you know about it then?”_

_Lizzie felt hopeful after hearing that, maybe, Hope is interested to know too, maybe Hope would want to work with her about her mother’s case so she then begins to explain things to her._

_When she had finished explaining everything she knew to Hope, the girl was left confused and crying. Lizzie had tried to reach out to her hand, however the detective was quick to pull away._

_“Forget all about these, Liz. I don’t want to hear or see you again snooping around my mom’s murder.”_

_“Why not? We already have valuable resources and lead. We can have this resolved.”_

_“I told you to stop.”_

_“I just don’t get it Mikaelson, and I’m sorry it’s just that we already have a way for us to get this person down and bring justice to your mom and yet you don’t want to deal with it.” Lizzie’s really having a hard time to understand Hope right now, why does the girl have to be so stubborn._

_“You don’t get it do you?”_

_“I clearly don't. But maybe, if you try to enlighten me then maybe I would.”_

_“I’m scared okay? What if I dive into this case again then it could mean I would be spiraling and that there’s a possibility that all the efforts would just be thrown away. I don’t want to get my hopes high again. I need to stop failing my mother, I need to stop failing my dad, and I need to stop failing myself. I don’t want to start all over again just to end up not getting the justice my mother deserves, I don’t want to go back to that rabbit hole again. I’m scared Liz, I’m scared. And now, please, I am begging you to stop all of this.”_

_When Hope has finished explaining her side to Lizzie, the detective decides to just walk away and leave Lizzie at the coffee shop._

_The moment she leaves, she immediately calls Penelope to see if her best friend is available for a much needed talk. Upon hearing her bestfriend’s distressed voice, Penelope had immediately made herself available and had agreed to meet her in her apartment which was close to the station. Penelope had chosen to live near the station so it would be easier for her to go to the station if she’s needed for late night consultations._

_So, 30 minutes later, Penelope finally arrived at her apartment building and when she reached her floor she was immediately greeted by a crying Hope who had rushed to her and hugged her tight as more sobs let loose from the detective._

_Once inside Penelope’s apartment and after Penelope had settled into a more comfortable clothing, she immediately asked Hope what happened._

_It took the other girl a couple of minutes before she finally breaks the silence._

_“Lizzie and I had a talk before I went here.” She begins._

_Penelope just nodded, letting her best friend know that she can continue._

_“She told me, she hired a private investigator behind my back to check on my mother’s murder case. It took the private investigator about a month to find out what actually had happened on the night she was murdered. Imagine, it took me years to search on the possibilities and what could the detectives back then have missed for them to just close and dismiss my mother’s case and this- this private investigator that Lizzie hired came barging in telling her that it only took him a month to discover something.”_

_“What did the private investigator find out?” Penelope seems surprised as well by this information that that was the only response she could bring to her best friend._

_“According to the private investigator, what happened to mom wasn't an accident and it wasn’t just a random killing during a gang encounter. He found out that other than her, there were two other victims who were killed the same way mom was stabbed. And when Lizzie found out about this she immediately informed me about it earlier.”_

_“Wow. That’s a lot to take in. But didn’t you tell Lizzie not to snoop around your mother’s case and yet that barbie doll author still did. Doesn’t she know how to respect privacy?” Penelope says before she took another sip from her beer._

_“Exactly my point, Peez. She says, she just wanted to help and that her intentions are good and yes I get that but it’s just really disappointing that she never listens to me, I have begged her not to reopen this case and now she wants me to work with her?”_

_“Okay, maybe she had the right intentions but I still don’t get why she wanted so bad to snoop around your mom’s case. I remember you had told me before that you had previously warned her not to do anything about it and yet here she is, acting as if she knows better. I’m sorry but I may be on a I hate Lizzie Saltzman stage right now.”_

_“Careful Peez, that’s your girlfriend’s twin we are talking about.” Hope warns her best friend._

_“Yeah. Shit. And I’m sure as soon as she finds out about this she’s gonna talk to me about it too and not that I’m siding with you because you are my best friend but what Lizzie did is wrong.”_

_“Yeah it is. And I honestly don’t know what to do right now.”_

_“How do you feel towards her?”_

_“I’m not gonna lie, Peez, I really feel betrayed right now. And other than that I’m in a mixed case of being sad, confused and upset. And I don’t know, maybe even mad at what Lizzie did.”_

_“That’s understandable. Any plans on talking to your dad about this?”_

_“I don’t know. I haven’t really thought of telling dad about it because if I ever tell him it’s either he’s gonna go to the dark place or get his hopes high. I don’t want any of that to happen.”_

_“But I think he needs to know too.”_

_“I just don’t want to fail him again.”_

_“I don’t think you would.”_

_After Hope had spoken to her best friend, the two had bonded over a few more beers and some cheesy movies from netflix before Hope finally headed home._

_Penelope was just right about to head off to bed when her phone started vibrating on the counter. Josie was calling to face time with her._

_“Hi baby!” She greets her as a way of answering Josie’s call._

_“Hey, baby.” Penelope could see how tired Josie is on the other end of the video, she hadn’t the chance to see her girlfriend again after the lunch they had last week._

_“Have you talked to Hope today?”_

_“As a matter of fact yes. She was here awhile ago. I’m sensing you already talked to your sister about what happened?”_

_“Yeah, I did. And I don’t know what to do about it.”_

_“Me too. And not that I’m siding with anyone but I guess Lizzie step out of the line, I mean it was clear that she was told by Hope not to do anything about the case of her mom.”_

_“Are you defending Hope here and telling me that it’s my sisters fault?” Josie’s voice obviously went into a higher octave._

_“Not like that babe. I just mean that she had been warned before by Hope and according to Hope it was the only thing she had requested from Lizzie, and yet, she still did the opposite.”_

_“I guess Liz’s intention were good and not to hurt Hope.”_

_“Regardless. She still broke her promise and Hope felt betrayed about it.”_

_“I kinda understand why Liz had to do it, but if you weigh it in, I guess that she made a mistake.”_

_“Yes. I agree with that.”_

_“Maybe it’s best that with don’t meddle on this too much.”_

_“Yep. Maybe. But forgive me babe, I’m currently on a ‘I hate Lizzie Saltzman state of the mind.’. I got to protect Hope.”_

_“And I hope that you understand too, that I have to be protective of my sister too.”_

_“Of course babe, let’s just not let this be a cause of a fight or a problem between us.”_

_“Absolutely not.”_

_“So baby, when can I see you again? Our schedules been really a bitch this past few weeks.”_

_“Yeah, sorry about that. Between balancing Lizzie to finish her books and arranging events for her next book launch, sometimes I forget to have a breather.”_

_“Aww poor you. I hope there’s something I could do for you.”_

_“Well, maybe, you can come and visit me at work on Friday?”_

_“Sounds like a plan to me. Can’t wait to see you, beautiful.”_

_“You and me both, babe. You and me both.” Josie says in between yawns._

_“Guess it’s time for you to sleep. Have a goodnight sleep Jojo.”_

_“Goodnight Pen.”_

  
  


* * *

It had been two weeks ever since Hope and Lizzie had their talk about the murder of Hope’s mother, and up to this day, Lizzie still feels like walking on eggshells everytime she’s around Hope. 

Yes, the two still worked together in solving cases, however, it was still very much obvious that there’s something going on between them that even the people at the station could notice but chose to ignore it. Even MG and Kaleb who work directly with the two ignore. 

But not Penelope Park. She’s known to be overprotective when it comes to Hope, so everytime she sees Lizzie, it never goes unnoticed how much she dislikes the author right now. Nevermind that she’s dating her twin, nevermind that Hope told her not to be so harsh. Penelope just won't listen, she knows her best friend is hurt so there’s no way for her to show any mercy with Lizzie.

After Hope had talked to Lizzie, she immediately came running to Penelope’s apartment and from then on, Penelope had built a protective wall for her best friend. Penelope had always made sure to make Lizzie squirm with her snarky remarks, sometimes Hope would notice the author having a teary eyed after a comment given by Penelope and all she wanted was to comfort her, but she reminds herself time and time again to stay on her ground, this isn’t the time for making amends with Lizzie. She isn’t ready yet.

  
  


However, tonight was different. Something unexpected happened.

Hope and Lizzie went to the apartment of a girl who could be a possible target of a smuggling lord who had been smuggling fake money and fake passports.. What the two weren't able to prepare was that the smuggler had followed them to the apartment.

They have just realized that they were followed when Jamal, the smuggler had shot fires. The girl who owns the apartment, immediately runs into the safety of her room.

“Detective Mikaelson, I need back up at 91st street” Hope radios in at the station.

“Give me the passport!” Jamal tells them as he moves closer to them.

“Put down your weapon, now!”

“Give me the passport!”

“Jamal, any minute now, this place is gonna be crawling with cops! Don't make things worse!”

“Give me what I want, and I walk away! I've written this scene about a hundred times.”

“If we give him what he wants, this is going to end badly. And by badly means us being dead.” Hope says as she had dragged Lizzie down to hide behind the kitchen counter. “I can't shoot him from down here.”

“Yeah, he can't shoot you, either.”

“I can't see him. He’s moving.” Lizzie tells her partner as she hears the footsteps coming closer.

“I've only got two rounds left. I need a clean shot.” Jamal is still firing his gun everywhere but he still can’t aim for the two who are crouched down on the floor. “What's with you and phones, Saltzman?”

  
  


Lizzie ignores Hope’s comment and she raises her hand to take a quick photo of Jamal who is about five steps from where they are. Then she quickly moves to the wine cabinet.

“What are you doing?”

“I'll set the pick, you take him down.”

“Set the pick with what?” Hope is still not getting whatever it is the author has in mind.” 

“This.” Lizzie then shows the bottle of wine she had retrieved.

“You're gonna get yourself shot.” Hope’s tone was supposed to be a warning for Lizzie to listen to but then again, she refused to listen.

“Not if you make your shot count.” 

“Saltzman!” 

“Just be ready.”

“This is your last warning!”

Lizzie continues to ignore Hope as she then quickly stands up, making herself noticed by Jamal. “Now!”

However, when it finally registered with Hope what Lizzie was doing, it was already too late for her to protect her friend as Lizzie got shot on her shoulder.

“Saltzman!” Hope’s voice echoed through the apartment as she fought with Jamal, thankfully, when she had fired her last shot it hit Jamal to his chest and sent him falling.

“Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie! Come on! This isn’t the time for you to make a joke.” The detective tries her best not to cry but fails.

“My first gun battle.” The author finally opened her eyes to be met with crystal blue eyes looking down at her.

“Your last gun battle.”

  
  


“Guess it takes for me to get shot for you to show me that you actually care too huh?” Hope was about to reply when the EMT and other police came to their side.

  
  


* * *

A week ever since getting shot, Lizzie was ordered by Hope and Caroline to stay at home for a while until her gunshot fully heals. At first, Lizzie didn’t want to listen because for her, the shot wasn’t that serious or bad, but however, when the news had reached their father he immediately tells Lizzie to do what is being told to her. 

So here she is alone at home as Josie was staying at Penelope and Caroline had gone to work early.

She was then awakened by someone ringing their doorbell.

“Yes. Yep. I'm coming.”

When Lizzie had opened the door, she was greeted by her PR manager, Debi Haas.

  
  


“You are not going to believe this.”

“Debi.”

“You are so not going to believe this.”

“What are you doing here?” Lizzie was starting to get impatient with her PR’s antics.

“I can't even believe it.”

“Believe what?”

“I can't tell you.”

“I'm still asleep, aren't I? I'm dreaming. I'm having a dream where my PR manager has shown up at my house at 7:00 A.M.” Lizzie made a sarcastic comment before she headed to the kitchen to make herself and her guest a coffee.

“Okay. It's not official yet, but..you my dear are at the top of their list, and I can't give you any more details than that.”

“You want some coffee?”

“I'd love to sit down and not discuss this further. I will tell you this--it's a major relaunch of a major franchise-- A 3-Book deal-- And they want you.” Debi tells Lizzie excitedly. “Although, I still need to talk to your sister about this but knowing Josie, I’m sure she’d definitely give a go signal- so it’s all gonna be up to you if you’re going to take it or leave.”

“You know "Amber Wave" comes out in less than a week. The book party, which you arranged, is Monday night. I'm trying to launch my own character. Why would I want to get involved with somebody else's?”

“What if I told you the character in question is a certain British Secret Agent?” 

“You mean it's gonna be--”

“Shh. Don't say it. You'll jinx it.” Debi was quick to warn Lizzie about this.

“He's the reason I became a writer.”

“I know.”

“I mean, he's the coolest spy ever.” Lizzie can no longer contain her excitement regarding this news.

“Right.”

“He's got gadgets, he's got babes, he's--” Lizzie enumerates the things that makes her love the person who is behind her for pursuing being an author.

“And a payday that is unbelievable.” Debi adds

“And they want me for three new books?”

Lizzie’s phone continues to ring, but as it rangs through the apartment, Lizzie also continues to ignore it. She’s definitely overflowing with excitement to care about a new murder somewhere in Mystic Falls.

“Yes, now are you gonna get that? Because an unanswered phone gives me agita.” 

“It’s Mikaelson. A body must’ve dropped.” Lizzie says, but continues to ignore the call and let’s it go to her voicemail. “So, uh, what other details can you give me?”

Lizzie spent about two hours discussing with Debi this upcoming project.

In the meanwhile, Hope already arrived at the crime scene and was immediately greeted by the police team who were there.

“Morning, gentlemen. So what do you got for us?” 

“Caucasian female, early 30s, No purse or I.D. found on the body.” MG briefly gives her details as soon as he sees her.

“Where is she?”

“City workers found her when they opened the manhole to check the line.”

“Something tells me she didn’t trip.” 

“Cause of death appears to be blunt force trauma. She took a nasty blow to the back of the head.” Penelope informs Hope.

“But we found traces of blood spatter over there on the sidewalk.” Kaleb then informs Hope as she looks down at the manhole.

“Well, then it couldn't have been a robbery. A mugger wouldn't bother dragging her body that far just to hide it.”

“Agree, and given the amount of decomposition, I’d say she was killed about two weeks ago.”

“Okay. Thanks, Pen. Also, any chance you could narrow that down for us?”

“Sure. But can I get her first to the lab? I should be able to get you a tighter window, maybe down to six or seven hours.”

“Alright thank you. Hey guys, let’s pull her up so Penelope can take her to the lab.”

* * *

  
  
After her shift, and before going home Hope decides to surprise Lizzie. It was a little weird that Hope is doing this, but so what right? It’s not wrong to visit your friend, their friends right?

While she was on her way, she decided to drop by at a nearby pizza house to bring to Lizzie. Lizzie had always said that she loves this pizza so it wouldn’t be bad if she brings her some.

When she got there, she was thankful enough to know that Lizzie was alone at home. It’s not that she doesn’t want to see either of Josie and Caroline it’s just that she doesn’t want to get pried on about her current relationship with Lizzie. 

Yes, they have already resolved their previous argument but when Lizzie got shot, she suddenly felt like she is being blamed about it. Caroline may never said it out loud, but Hope isn’t blind to know that Caroline is not comfortable of having her around for the mean time. So being alone with Lizzie is what is best as of the moment.

“Hope- what brings you here?”

“Pizza?” Hope just raised the box of pizza to avoid Lizzie’s question. She also didn't know what bring her there maybe she just wanted to see the blonde author but she isn’t in the mood to deal with Lizzie’s teasing so she chose not to tell her why.

“Woah. You brought me pizza from Gino’s, I hope this one is my favorite flavor?” 

“Yes. Of course.”

The two of them have spent a light conversation the entire time Hope was there.

Hope had shared what Lizzie missed on today’s case. 

“Oh, I bet if you were there, you would say that the victim was has eaten by a green slime.” Hope couldn’t help herself from laughing that her cheeks ended up hurting.

“That’s a possibility though. I mean, could you imagine the amount of dirt down there.” Lizzie says as she laughs along with Hope.

“That’s true though, I mean when I got there I got anxious cause I thought there’ll be a need for me to go down the manhole.”

“Eh, I bet they wont let you do that.”

“Maybe. Anyway enough of talking about the dead. How are you, Liz? How’s your um-” Hope gestures towards Lizzie’s shoulder to let her know what she meant.

“Hmm, I think it’s getting better now. I mean it doesn’t hurt as it used to but I’m still being careful about it.”

“You got lucky out there. I mean good thing it didn’t hit any bone it would’ve been harder. And good that you only got shot in your shoulder and not somewhere else.”

“Yeah, bet it would’ve been harder or more dangerous.”

“Yes. But that one would definitely leave a nasty scar.”

“Doesn’t matter. As long as we were both alive.”

“Hm mm.”

“Want more beer?” 

“No thanks, I’m uh, driving.”

“Oh right, right. Sorry I forgot.”

“It’s okay. Where’s Josie by the way?”

“She’s with Penelope. They haven’t seen each other for a while so she’s staying there over the weekend.”

“So, you’re just alone here?”

“No. Mom’s just out with Dad- I mean she dropped by to his office after her work but I’m sure they’d be home in an hour I think.”

“Oh, maybe I should get going then-”

“Why? You can stay for dinner?” 

“Maybe some other time?” 

If Lizzie had notice the sudden mood change of Hope as soon as she mentions that her parents are coming home soon, she tries to ignore it. She knows that after being shot, her mom subtly blames Hope for that, she had been vocal about it that night it happened, but Lizzie understands, it’s her mom’s instinct to protect her daughter, she knows too, that Hope understands it but maybe the other girl just chose to be cautious and as much as possible she avoids any encounter with her parents.

So yeah maybe some other time. There’s always a time, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, any errors will be updated after this one gets posted  
> comments and kudos are very much appreciated.  
> if you want to say hi and/or follow me my twitter is @gaywitchtribrid - it's where i usually have posie and hizzie breakdowns.


	5. Punch to the Gut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new case brings a lead to the murder of Hope's mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.. Hello I'm back for another chapter and I apologize for the slight delay I have been lazy these past few days to open my laptop and I got busy watching Shera.
> 
> Anyway, this chapter is a few months after the previous chapter. So enjoy! 
> 
> tw // gunshot, death, and blood mentions
> 
> Btw, ADW that was mentioned here means assault with deadly weapon.

It had been a couple of months since Lizzie got shot but today’s her first day back in the field with Hope and her team, and even though it wasn’t a super serious kind of injury, it took her awhile to actually go back to the station because of how worried her father was.

Leave it to Stefan Salvatore, the forever protective of his girls. He may not be the biological father of Lizzie and Josie, however the girls have treated him as one ever since their father, Alaric left them and left their mom devastated. Luckily she met Stefan at a gala organized by their charity and ever since then, their life had been so wonderful.

So for Lizzie to give her step dad the reassurance he needs that she would be careful, Lizzie decides to order a customized bullet proof vest with “writer” written across its chest.

And now, Lizzie together with Hope and the team are now on their way to another crime scene that took place at a downtown apartment.

When they got there, Hope was given a brief by the other police that were there before them. It was said that a painter noticed that there was blood dripping from the apartment above the unit they were painting and that he noticed it when his white paint got a splatter of red that was continuously dripping and when he saw it, he decided to call 911.

“Meet the late Jack Cole.” MG says as soon as he sees Hope and Lizzie enter the apartment unit.

“Why is that name familiar?” Hope asks.

“Because it probably crossed over all our desks a dozen times in the last few years-- aggravated assault, A.D.W., arson. Cole had a heavy rep. Word is he's an enforcer for the Westies.”

“Okay, remind me--who are the Westies again?” Penelope asks as she’s obviously lost when it comes to police terminologies and it was Lizzie who answered her,

“Irish mafia out of Hell's Kitchen. They deal in cargo theft, counterfeiting, extortion and public urination on St. Patrick's day.”

“Our boy Cole also had a home security system, 12- gauge, hollow point.” Kaleb interrupts as he shows the gun laying in the corner of the victim’s apartment.

“That thing could stop a kodiak in kevlar. Who did he think was coming through the door?”

“Well, whoever it was left him leaking from about 30 holes that don’t normally appear in a healthy 35 year old male.” Penelope says as she points to the wounds cause by knife on the victim's body that was laying on the floor.

“9-millimeter sig still in his waistband.” Hope noticed as she walked closer to the victim’s body.

“Didn't even have time to pull it out.”

“This guy was armed and ready. Whoever got him was very, very good.”

“Ninja assassins.” And Lizzie’s theories have started again.

“Ninja assassin? Isn't that kind of redundant? Aren't all ninjas by definition assassins?” And as always, Kaleb makes fun of her theories.

“Fine, Webster and Roget. Our ninja-- assassination implied by definition-- scales the building, slips in through this window, and then hides himself, I don't know, about…”Lizzie explains as she walks towards the windows, however she ends up being distracted by a video tape she finds on the table.

“Hey... look at this. Our victim's a Johnny Vong fan.”

“Somebody actually bought those tapes? What?” MG says the moment he sees what Lizzie was holding.”

“Who's Johnny Vong?” Kaleb asks his colleagues.

“Come on. You're kidding me. Every insomniac in Mystic Falls knows who Johnny Vong is. His infomercial runs all night.” MG informs him as he throws a copy of Johnny’ brochure towards him, Kaleb then plays the video about this Johnny Vong.

However, Hope made her presence known again as she asked the three to focus on their victim.

“I'm sorry. Do you guys mind, if we finish dealing with the dead guy on the carpet?” She says.

“Mikaelson.” Penelope interrupts Hope as she hands her over the phone from the victim’s pocket. “Cell phone. Looks like it took a direct hit from the knife.”

“Have tech pull the sim card. I want to know who Cole was talking to before he died.” Hope instructs Kaleb who was busy reading Johnny Vong’s brochure.

* * *

The following day, Hope and Lizzie went to the office of the brother’s victim to talk to him about what had happened.

“Did my brother suffer?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you for your honesty. I guess you coulda lied to me.”

“No, I couldn't. I've been on your side of the table. And when I was, what I needed most was the truth.” Hope explains to the victim’s brother.

“I, uh... I build schools in Afghanistan. You know, give kids over there a fighting chance. I get all this recognition. And here's my big brother Jacky, the guy who taught me to fight for the little guy...and what does he get? Worse than he deserved. I make no excuses for the things my brother did, but growing up, we were on our own a lot. Jacky was the toughest kid on the block. That's what first brought him to Rourke's attention.”

“Finn Rourke?”

“Yeah. He runs the Westies.”

“What did he actually do for Finn?” Hope continues to ask Jack’s brother.

“Jacky never said. But whatever it was... pretty sure it got him killed.”

As soon Hope and Lizzie had left the office of Dick Cole, the two then went to a bar full of Westies.

“Saltzman. These Westies can be pretty rough. So you sure you don't want to stay in the car?” Hope asks Lizzie as she loads her gun with bullets before they enter the place.

“No way!”

“Okay. Keep your mouth shut and try to bitch up a little.”

When they got in, Hope immediately went to look for Finn Rourke.

“I'm looking for Finn Rourke.”

“Is that right?” A bartender asked. “Well, as far as I'm concerned, you and your partner there can keep looking.”

Knowing she’s not going to get a decent answer, Hope decides to do a little threatening to the bartender in front of her. “Listen. This is the part where I tell you that one phone call from me, and the Department of Health will be down here. You'll be shut down for 30 days. I guarantee it. Do you really wanna do it to your boss?”

Suddenly an old man on Hope’s right side speaks up,

“Hey, Tommy, why don’t you give them something to drink.

“We’re on duty.” Hope tells him after the offer was made.

“Then just give them some juice.”

“Mr. Rourke, I'm Detective Hope Mikaelson. I'm here about Jack Cole.”

“Ah. And so you are.”

“When did you last see Jack Cole?”

“I don’t remember. In fact, none of us remember. And I think you'll find the Department of Health takes a very liberal attitude to my establishment. And this is the part where I tell you to pound sand, Detective.”

Hope was about to answer Rourke, but she then hears men fighting on the other side of the bar, and the detective in her kicks in and she decides to go to where the fight was going.

“Step away.” She commands the person that was throwing punches at the man on the floor.

“Are you okay?”

Before the man could answer, he subtly glances to where Rourke was standing. “Me? Ah. No. I’m good.”

Hope then decides to bring him to the station and to interrogate him at the box.

“So. Mario Mendoza, also known as Trucho. You did four years upstate for distribution in New Orleans,and you just got off of parole.”

Upon hearing this, Lizzie congratulations the man in front of them.

“I've got a dead Westie on my hands. And it looked like you were about to join. So you want to tell me what you were doing in Finn Rourke's back room?”

“Can I be real with you?”

“Oh, please do.”

“I had too much to drink and I accidentally fell.”

“You fell?”

“I fell.”

“Well, then how'd you get that mouse on your eye?”

“I ran into the wall.”

At this point, Hope already knows that Mario was bullshiting her with his answers.

“How'd you burn your hand?”

“After I ran into the wall and I fell, I put my hand out on the grill, just to break my fall.”

And Lizzie being the sarcastic that she is, decides to reply, “Well, thanks for keeping it real.”

“Look, I get it-- the whole "street code" thing and all. But in my experience, Mario, guys like you end up catching another case sooner or later, and when you do, wouldn't you like to have a Detective on your side?”

“No, thanks. I'm good.” Mario replies as he grunts when he puts the iced pack on the bruises on his face.

When Hope and Lizzie went out of the box, they were approached by Romero, one of the 12th’s police officers.

“He was my collar from back in the day. Guy ran dope for the Latin Kings.”

“Latin Kings?”

“It's a violent street gang. They mostly peddle girls and drugs.” Hope explains to Lizzie what Romero was telling them outside of the box.

“Yeah, Trucho's their blade man. Real handy with the knife. We never popped him for murder, but, uh, I met plenty of folks with fingers missing.”

“So was there bad blood between them?”

“Yeah, they're like the, uh,Hatfields and McCoys of Hell's Kitchen.”

“So the Westies figure that the Latin Kings killed Cole, and they snatch their blade guy and bring him in for a little enhanced interrogation.”

“Which no one wants to admit to.” Lizzie concludes knowing pretty well where Hope’s mind is heading to.

“Look, my experience--If Finn went all Gitmo on him, it was for a reason. If Finn went all Gitmo on him, it was for a reason.”

“He's right. We found Trucho's vehicle in an alley behind a little bodega in Rego Park.” All of a sudden, MG and Kaleb showed up with some evidence. “It's a big dope spot. And he left his little letter opener tucked behind the driver's side sun visor.”

With this evidence, Hope and Lizzie then went to Penelope to let her check if it was the same weapon used to Jack Cole.

“That's not it.”

“You didn't even look, Pen.”

“Sure I did. It's a stiletto, 4-inch Damascus blade, and it's way too small to make these wounds.” Penelope states as she points on the stab wounds all over the victim’s body.

“Maybe he used a different knife?”

“Just how tall is this Trucho?”

“Hold on, let me check on his files.” Hope then browses the files she was holding. “He's, uh...5'6.”

“Then he's not your guy. Thrust angle on these wounds indicate Cole's killer was over 6 foot.”

“Well, maybe instead of using a stiletto, he was wearing a stilleto.” Lizzie made a joke wherein Hope had rolled her eyes, as usual. Before Hope can give snarky remarks, her phone rings.

Lizzie took this opportunity to talk to Penelope. Lizzie could tell that her sister’s girlfriend is feeling a little uneasy with this case.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

“You okay?

“Yeah, I'm fine.”

Before Lizzie could speak up again, Hope went back and Penelope had to move to the otherside of the body so as not to make Hope feel suspicious of whatever was going through Penelope’s head.

“Tech's got some hits off of Cole's phone. Maybe they can shed some light.” Hope then thanks Penelope before she and Lizzie had left the lab.

When they had left Penelope’s lab, they went back to the tech area where Kaleb was checking on the last call made by the victim.

“The last call that Cole made was to a Mystic Falls landline. because of the damage to the sim, it's missing the last two digits of the phone number.”

”Well, that's 99 possibilities. We better get dialing. Kaleb, I'm looking at you.” Lizzie orders him.

“Well, no, the numbers are all from the same phone tree.” MG says.

“Here's where it gets interesting. They all trace back to the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.” Kaleb says as he hands over a file to Hope.

“What's an irish street thug doing talking to the FBI?”

An hour later, the FBi who happens to talk to Jack Cole was invited to the station for an interview with Hope and Lizzie.

* * *

“I appreciate your coming down, Agent Forrest. Most of your FBI colleagues would expect the locals to come to them.”

“Most of my colleagues worry about hair products and press conferences when they should be out catching bad men.”

“I take it you're not from around these parts.” Lizzie asks Agent Forrest.

“No Ma’am. I'm not. But for my many sins, the Bureau has transferred me here to Mystic Falls.”

“How did you come into contact with Jack Cole?”

“He reached out to us about a week ago, Detective.”

“And you signed him on as an informant?”

“Nope.”

“Why not?”

“'Cause all there were, were overtures. And I wasn't about to trade the family cow for a bunch of magic beans.”

“You didn't trust him?” Hope continues to ask, just to make sure she would be able to squeeze information out of him.

“When a case like Cole reaches out to the Bureau, it's usually 'cause he crossed his bosses. And he's hard up to trade them in to the Bureau for a quick trip into the waiting arms of WitSec.”

“Who was Cole offering up?” Lizzie asked, intrigued by the information they are getting from Agent Forrest.

“Never found out.”

“Well, whoever it was must have gotten wind of it. And then killed Cole before he had a chance to deliver them to the FBI.”

“The Westies are a bit like the rogue state of Iran and the great state of Texas. They're not too shy in handing out the death penalty. And talking to the FBI is definitely a capital offense.” Agent Forrest explains further.

“We need to talk to Finn Rourke again, Saltzman.”

* * *

Later that evening, Hope and Lizzie had decided to come back to the bar owned by Rourke, who by the time they got there was doing a memorial for Jack.

After his little speech, he finally noticed the detective and the author and he immediately approached them.

“Come to honor the dead I hope. If not, I'll thank you move away out of this place.” Rourke warned the detective as soon as he had approached them.

“You’re lying. You know exactly what happened to Jack Cole. That once-over that you gave Trucho was just a piece of theater to throw them all off, just like your eulogy.”

“Now you be careful, Detective.”

“Or else what? You'll kill me just like you killed Cole” Hope asked without even flinching. “after he went to the feds about you?”

“Enough. I'll not have you slander him like this. Not tonight.”

“I got it straight from the FBI. Jack reached out to them just before he died. He turned on you, didn't he?” Hope says, trying her best to make Rourke confess right there.

“Jacky Cole was loyal to his last breath. He died in a state of grace. Even if what you say is true, you can be sure Jacky wasn't talking to the G's about any of us.”

“How can you be so sure?” Lizzie then interrupts.

“You've heard I'm a gangster and a thief. Surely, you've heard I've killed men. But you answer me this, Detective. Have you ever heard of Finn Rourke running drugs? Someone was bringing it in here, into my neighborhood, my backyard. I sent Jacky to find the bastards behind it-- find them and punish them. According to our rules--”

“Only they punished him instead.” Lizzie concludes, as if something was making sense and that she felt that something was not sitting right with their conversation with Finn Rourke.

“That they did. Now...if you have probable cause I suggest you arrest me now. If not, I'll remind you, this is a private party. And I'll thank you to get the hell out of my place!” Finn Rourke says with finality in his voice.

And knowing that Hope and Lizzie don't have any probable cause the two of them finally decide to leave the bar. However, on their way out Lizzie noticed a girl who was crying as she watched the entire exchange between the detective and Rourke. When they got to Hope’s car, she tells the detective about it and asks her if they can wait for a little while to see if the girl would come after them. So after a few minutes of waiting at the parking lot, the girl Lizzie was referring to.

“Give her a minute, Saltzman. She can't just follow us out. It would be too obvious.”

“You noticed her too?”

“I'm a Homicide Detective. If there's one thing I know how to spot, it's a lady looking to unburden herself.”

“She’s looking for us.” Lizzie tells Hope when she finally sees the lady. She was about to honk but Hope stopped her.

“No, no, no. Don't honk, deep throat. You'll spook her.” Hope then made her signal lights light up twice to get the woman’s attention and when it did, Molly approached them.

“Hi, I'm Molly.”

“Hi, Molly. I'm Hope. Can we maybe give you a lift somewhere?”

“Anywhere but here.” She says nervously.

Then Hope and Lizzie drove back to the station along with Molly. When they got there, they interviewed Molly right away.

“Of course I knew Jack's reputation. It's part of what attracted me to him. What? You telling me you never had a thing for bad boys, detective?”

“No comment.” Hope answers, especially when she notices that this question immediately picks Lizzie’s attention. “So Jack never mentioned going to the FBI?”

“Jack never discussed business. But I knew he wanted out. We talked about...going somewhere far away. Last week, Jack warned me he might get there first.”

“Wait. Jack saw this coming?”

“We spent every night together. He couldn't get to sleep without me next to him. But last week, he wouldn't even let me come over. Anybody but Jack, and I'd have thought he had something going on the side.”

“That never crossed your mind?”

“This is the last thing Jack ever gave me,” Molly then grabs the necklace she was wearing to show to the detective and the author. “on the last night I ever spent with him. Jack said if things broke bad, he wanted me to give this to the police.”

After they had talked to Molly, Hope gathered Kaleb and MG and they went right away to where the locker is located.

“And how do you know it's to a bus locker?” Lizzie asked as soon as they got to the bus terminal.

“It's always in the bus locker. TSA tore most of them out, but a few terminals still have them, and this one is the closest to Cole's apartment.”

When they had finally located the locker, Lizzie stopped Hope from having it opened.

“Wait. No, no, no. Wait. Don't do that.”

“What?”

“Well, once you are on it, then we'll know. Could be an alien corpse in there, arc of the covenant...or Johnny Vong DVDs?” Lizzie ended up her statement being confused about what was inside the locker when Hope had it opened.

“You gotta be kidding me. This is what Cole wanted to give to the feds?” MG says as he sees the locker full of DVDs.

“Hold on.” Hope then grabs out one of the DVDs and when she opened it, she saw a pack of heroin on it, which she had confirmed after tasting it.

“That was so cool just now.”

“You liked that, Liz?” Hope attempts a seductive voice as she answers Lizzie.

“Yeah, it was very "Miami Vice."

“Mm-hmm.”

* * *

The following day, the team had a discussion about the drugs they had discovered at the locker where Cole had it hidden.

“Cole wasn't going to the feds to rat out his Westie pals. He was looking to rat out the drug dealer Finn Rourke sent him to find.”

“Only the dealer flips the script. Knifes Cole before he can close the deal with the feds.” MG says conversationally to Hope.

“So then we find the dealer, and we find the killer.”

Then suddenly, Lizzie speaks up as she finds some information from the boxes of Johnny Vong’s DVD.

“These boxes say the DVDs were packaged in Hong Kong. Someone must be slipping their heroin in before they're shipped.”

“Which means someone on this end had to know which boxes contain the drugs. And which boxes contain the secret path to financial independence. It had to be someone in Johnny Vong's organization.”

So the four of them then went to the studio where Johnny Vong does his late night show to investigate the man of the hour. When they got there, they observed first at the distance so as to not alarm his audiences.

When Vong had invited his audience to come up to the stage and to walk with him on the fire to get lucky with life finances, a practice that Vong lets his audience do from time to time, MG had noticed that Kaleb was planning to take off his shoes too and to go join them on the stage.

“Don't even think about taking them off. If you do, I will pepper spray you.” He warns his partner.

When Vong went down from his stage as the audiences walked on his sacred path of fire, Hope and Lizzie took this as an opportunity to talk to him.

“Mr. Vong, I'm Detective Hope Mikaelson with the MFPD. I'd like to ask you a few questions.”

“Sure, sure, sure.”

“We believe that one of your employees was smuggling heroin into the country using your supply chain.”

“Smuggle what?”

“Smack.” Lizzie answered. However, as soon as Vong gets what they were talking about he immediately runs off. Good thing, Kaleb and MG were fast enough to catch him. When they finally catched him, the team went back to the station to have him interrogated inside the box.

“Heroin trafficking-- That's good for a 10-year prison bid. So I don't blame you for running.” Hope starts as soon as she and Lizzie went inside the box.

“This is all a big mistake. I never do drugs. Drugs are for losers. I'm a businessman. I try to help people achieve their goals.”

“So long as their goals are to blow 300 bucks on your bogus real estate system.”

“No, listen, I offer you a 30-day, money-back guarantee. If you don't start building wealth by then, I refund all your money, no questions asked. Could I make that offer if this was some kind of scam?”

“The man has a point.” Kaleb says as he and MG were watching the ongoing interrogation outside of the box.

“Shut up.“

Hope then continues asking Vong back inside the box.

“Look, here's the deal-- I'm not a dope cop. I'm a Homicide Detective. So usually I don't even bother with your sort of an operation. But my problem, and yours, is the fact that you had Jack Cole killed in order to hide your heroin smuggling.”

“Wait. Jack Cole's dead?” Vong was seriously surprised with this information.

Lizzie then walked towards the table to sit beside Hope. “Whoa. Careful there, Johnny. Your accent's starting to fade a little.”

“Look, I didn't come over on a boat, okay? I've never even been to Laos. I'm from Danville, California.”

“And this whole Johnny Vong thing?”

“No one wants to buy a real estate system from a Harvard MBA, but show them an idiot with a Rolls-Royce, and they'll knock down doors. So I played Johnny Vong. You know, people want all  
that Horatio Alger crap, So that's what I give 'em.”

“Well, that and heroin?” Lizzie asked, which earns a subtle warning look from Hope but of course Lizzie ignores as she continues to ask Vong. “How exactly did you know Jack Cole?”

“Look, whatever you think you know, I promise you, I didn't kill Cole. You have to believe me.”

“Do I? Nothing about you is real.” The detective states what is obvious after these revelations given by Vong.

“No. I needed money to take the program national. He needed a way to get products into the country. It was stupid, but once you make a deal with the devil, you belong to him.”

“Who do you belong to? Who are you working for?”

“I can’t tell you that, Detective. He’ll kill me.”

“I can protect you.”

“You can't. Nobody can. You don't know what he's capable of. You don't believe me. Ask Jack Cole.” At this point, Vong was already shaking with fear.

“Look, Mr. Vong, I--”

“No. I'll take my chances in prison. I'd rather lose ten years of my life than all of it.”

After their interrogation, Hope and Lizzie went back outside to Hope’s desk to talk further and to plan out what their next move would be.

“Whoever he's working for scares him a lot more than prison.”

“There has to be a way to get it out of him. We could force him to watch Paris Hilton videos.” Lizzie jokes.

“You want me brought up on charges?” Their conversation was cut off shortly when Penelope called out for Hope.

“Detective Mikaelson.”

“Hey Penelope, what are you doing here?” She asks as a way of greeting her best friend.

“Uh, it's about the Cole case. This is Dr. Clark Murray. He's a forensic pathologist and a private investigator. I asked him to consult.”

“I'm, uh, Detective Hope Mikaelson. This is Lizzie Saltzman, the novelist.” However, what Hope didn’t know was he was the man Lizzie has been working with the case of her mom’s murder.

After the introductions, the group then moved to a meeting room to discuss further the findings they had with the stab wounds on Jack Cole’s body.

Dr. Murray shows Hope the photos he had taken for her to take a closer look.

“Note the rectangular bruising around these wounds... Here and here…” He says as he points on the stab wounds on the pictures. “Caused by the hilt of the knife striking with force enough to compress the skin.”

“And as a result, the injuries penetrate deeper than the actual length of the blade.”

“He's also honed his blade so fine, it's brittle enough for bits to break when it strikes bone, which is why slivers of blade were found inside both of his victims.” Dr. Murray showed Hope another photo, this time it’s an x-ray of the insides of one of the victims that was killed by the same person who killed Cole. “We now know those slivers come from the same murder weapon.”

“Wait, two victims? How many people has he killed?” Hope asked, surprise was showing on her tone and facial expressions.

“Five that we know of.” Penelope confirms.

“So we're looking at a serial?”

“Well, yes and no. We believe we're dealing with a professional, someone with extensive military training.”

“A contract killer?”

“I used tomographic reconstruction of Cole's wounds to generate a 3D model of the blade used.” Dr. Murray then handed over to Hope the 3D model of the blade that was used. “It's a special operations group knife...The kind favored by special forces in Gulf War one. He kills with a single blow using these other wounds to camouflage the skill with which the initial stroke was delivered. The very same method and the very same weapon that the killer employed... ten years ago.” When Dr. Murray hands another 3D blade to Hope, her hands started to shake, as it finally sinked in to her that the blade that was used to kill Cole was exactly the same as the blade used to kill her mother, 10 years ago.

She then turns to Penelope for confirmation.

“Penelope-”

“I'm so sorry.” Was all her best friend could tell her.

“Detective Mikaelson, there is no doubt in my mind that Jack Cole was killed by the same man who murdered your mother.” When Dr. Murry had this confirmed, Hope was already crying. She didn’t care if the people around her saw her crying, all she could think of is how she could finally get the possible killer of her mother.

When Dr. Murray had left, Hope then confronts Penelope for hiding some details to her about the weapon that was used to kill Cole.

“I am the investigator of record in this case. You had no right to withhold evidence from me.”

“Well, what did you expect? The last time Lizzie tried to talk to you about your mother's murder, you bit her head off.” Penelope explains.

“Please, Penelope-”

“I noticed the wound similarity. I reached out to Dr. Murray. I held off from telling you until I knew the evidence was rock-solid. Mikaelson, we came to you the moment we were sure.”

Captain Hudson then notice the arguement ongoing between Penelope and Hope and he knows he needs to jump in so he called on to Hope to his office.

“Mikaelson. Can I have a word with you?” Hope then took a deep breathe before she went to her captain’s office.

“Poor mans pain killer.” He says as he hands Hope a flask, Hope refused for a second knowing she’s on duty but the Roy urges her to take it and to drink from it. “I know your mother's murder was the reason you became a cop. And I know how you almost lost yourself trying to solve her case the first time you tried. I figured sooner or later, when you were ready, you'd want to take another run at it. I just never expected her killer to come around and sucker punch you like this. Hope, listen to me. You're the finest homicide I've ever trained, bar none. And I want you to stay on this one, if you can. If you're up to it. But I wouldn't be doing my job as your Captain if I didn't ask...Can you handle this?”

“I'm sorry, sir. I can't.” And just like that, Hope gave him back the flask and left his office and the entire station.

“Mikaelson.” Lizzie calls after her when she sees her leaving. “Hope.” But the detective ignores Lizzie.

* * *

When Hope left the station, she called up her father, Klaus to tell him that there could be a lead about her mother’s murder case.

“Hope.”

“Hi Dad.” Hope approached the old man at the dinner and he gave her a hug, it was enough to calm her nerves and to give her comfort she needed.

“So... what have you found?” Klaus asked as soon as they were seated.

“I don't know yet.”

“But enough to scare you.” Klaus knows too well his daughter that she doesn’t back down or get scared way too easily, as this one is really alarming both for him and his daughter.

“Yeah.”

“Look Hope- I didn't sleep well that whole first year after you got out of the Academy. I'd hear sirens in the night and imagine you off in the darkness someplace. I had nightmares where it swallowed you whole.” Klaus admits to his daughter for the first time.

“Dad, I don't want to lose this one.”

“Your mother always said that life… never delivers anything that we can't handle. I mean, she lived by that, you know? Called it Hayley Marshall's immutable law of the universe. And for years, I thought she was wrong...because I couldn't handle losing her. Now… I can almost hear her whisper, "I told you so."

Hope lightly laughed at this, remembering those times her mother would tell her that too. “Four of mom's favorite words.”

“Look...she was a devout believer in the truth, and if she were here right now, she'd tell you, the truth can never hurt you. You know, this may be your mother's way of reaching out to you, Hope… and reminding you that the truth...is still your weapon to wield, not theirs.”

* * *

When Hope had finished her dinner with her dad, she went to the Saltzman’s apartment to talk to Lizzie about a plan she had in mind, on what to do next about her mother’s case. The moment the author opens the door and see Hope, it was obvious that she was surprised to see the detective.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” Lizzie invites her in after kissing her on the cheek- a gesture she never expected she would be doing tonight. “Come in.”

“Thank you.”

When Hope got in, she noticed that Penelope and Josie were there too as well as Caroline who enveloped her into a motherly hug as soon as she sees her.

“Hang in there, kiddo.”

“Thank you, Caroline.”

“Leftovers in the fridge. Upstairs if you need us.” Caroline says as she shoos away Penelope and Josie, signalling them to move their talk at Josie’s bedroom to give the two some privacy. Before Hope can protest, they were already gone.

Lizzie then gestures towards the couch for them to take a seat. “I will do anything that you need, including nothing, if that's what you want.” She tells the detective.

“What I want is to find my mother's killer.” Hope tells her right away.

“Well, then we need to break Johnny Vong.”

“So let's break him.”

After about half an hour of discussing her plan to Lizzie, the two of them drove back to the station to talk to Mr. Vong who is being heald as a prisoner.

“I owe you an apology, Mr. Vong.” Hope tells him after the jail guard opened his cell. “Apparently in my haste,I forgot to read you your Miranda rights. You're free to go.” She continues as she places the clothes of Mr. Vong beside him, and as expected he argues with Hope’s decision.

“No! I remember distinctly. You read them to me. And I waived them all. You did. She did. You remember, right?” He then asks Lizzie.

“Sorry, man. It's a rookie mistake.” Lizzie played along as planned.

“What? No, wait. You can't-- you can't do this. If I walk out of here now, he'll think I'm cooperating with the cops.” Vong continues to refuse being freed from the station. “I'll be dead by morning.”

“Yes, you will. Or you can tell me who you're working for, and I will protect you.” Hope tells him to convince him, and surprisingly he did.

“Dick Cole. I work for Dick.”

“You're telling me Jack Cole's brother is a drug trafficker?” Convinced that Vong will now tell them the details, Hope brought him back to the box for further questioning.

“He comes off like Jimmy Carter, but it was all a scam to funnel money to the Warlords with the poppy fields. Sure, he built a few schools, uh, so he had pictures for his donors, but, you know, most of the money funded his cartel.”

“So he had access to all the dope he wanted.” Hope presses in. “He just needed a way of  
getting it into the country.”

“You couldn't get an aspirin from Kabul to Mystic Falls without somebody knowing about it. All I had to do was let him package the drugs at my factory in Hong Kong. He'd pick up the dirty shipments once they cleared customs.

“And he had the Latin Kings put it on the street?” Lizzie asked.

“Perfect system. Well, perfect until Trucho caught a case of stupid and started selling in the Westies' territory. And then that's what brought Jack sniffing around. Jack threatened to give him  
to the feds unless he quit.”

“So Dick killed his own brother?”

“Oh no, detective. Jack had been with the Westies a long time. He'd grown eyes in the back of his head. Dick hired a professional.”

“What's his name?”

“Uh, he called him Rathborne.”

“How do I find him?”

“Ask Dick Cole.”

* * *

The first thing Hope and Lizzie did the following day was to go back to Dick Cole’s office and to ask him questions.

“So... Any, uh, progress on the son of a bitch who killed my brother?” He asked the Detective, acting as if he wasn’t the one who got his brother killed.

“We're close. We think that Jack was killed after Rourke asked him to hunt down a drug dealer.”

“Turns out the Westies have done a pretty good job with the war on drugs these past few years. Talk about zero tolerance. The punishment for dealing drugs in their neighborhood is death, right detective?”

“Yes, Saltzman.” Hope agrees. “But when he tracked down this dealer, for some reason, Jack didn't have the heart to kill him.”

“That is so Jacky. He always led with his chin. He went through life like he was expecting to win the good sportsman award on trophy night.”

“Cut the crap, Cole. We know all about your heroin triangle--Afghanistan, Hong Kong...Mystic Falls and we also know that you hired an assassin named Rathborne to kill your brother before  
he went to the feds about you.”

“Prove it.” He then challenges the detective which leads him to be brought to the station for further questioning.

Before Hope had entered the box, she watched with so much agony and pain outside the box. She feels like she’s so close to bringing justice to her mother’s death.

“Are you okay?” Lizzie asked Hope while they were both overlooking Dick Cole at the window covering the box.

“Ten years since we came home and found that Detective waiting for us. Ten years since we crossed that yellow tape and went into that alley. And every time I cross the tape at a crime scene, I think of that night.”

“That's what makes you such a good cop.”

“What if I let her down?” Hope’s voice was too small, worry was so obvious in her tone.

“Do you know why I chose you as my inspiration for Amber Heat”

“No. Why?”

“Because you're strong. Now go in there and do your job.” It was a short explanation given by Lizzie to Hope but they both know what it meant, and it was enough to convince Hope that she can do anything, that she can solve this case. And so she did went back the box.

“I have forensic accountants digging through your organization, Mr. Cole”. She tells him a soon as he got inside the box with him. “If there's evidence of heroin trafficking, they will find it. But that's not your biggest problem right now. Hiring an assassin like Rathborne shows premeditation, and that makes this a special circumstance case. Which qualifies you for the needle. Now I am willing to take the special circumstance allegations off the table if you give me Rathborne.”

“The only special circumstance here, detective, is your complete lack of evidence against me.” He tells Hope all smug.

“I’ve got Johnny Vong.” This made Cole laugh maniacally and it makes Hope’s blood boil.

“The guy with the phony accent and the real estate scam? Is that the best you can do?”

“Are you really willing to bet your life that Vong can't hold his mud, Mr. Cole? Give me the killer, and I will put the DA in the mood for a second-degree plea.” Hope bargains.

“When we first met, you told me you'd been on the other side of this. Remember? Now... could that be why you seem so eager to get your hands on this mysterious assassin? Because if I had to guess, I'd say that someone close to you was murdered, and you think Rathborne had something to do with it.” What Cole had just said made Hope’s blood boil even more. “But I don't have to guess, do I? Because it's all over your face.”

Hope did her best to stay calm on this interrogation, “That still doesn't change the fact that you're guilty of murder.”

“Maybe not. But for the low, low price of transactional immunity, I can give you the closure you've been seeking. You get Rathborne, and I walk. And that, detective, is my final offer.”

Upon hearing this conversation, Lizzie then went to the Captain to tell him about Cole’s offer in which the Captain immediately made a call to the DA.

“Transactional immunity, Paul, and I'm inclined to give it to him. Rathborne has killed five that we know of, including the mother of one of my people. It's one of our own, Paul.” The Captain says, trying his best to convince the DA. “I remember that used to mean something in this town.”

When the phone call ended, Lizzie asked the captain right away. “Well?”

“He went for it. The district attorney is gonna offer Cole immunity if he gives us Rathborne. I hope Mikaelson knows what the hell she’s doing.”

When Lizzie got the go signal, she went back to the box and told Hope about the news and Hope proceeded with her interrogation to Dick Cole.

“Describe him.”

“About my height. Just so average, he's almost invisible.”

“How did you meet?”

“We were in the service together. They said he'd been killed back in a training exercise in '95. But then about a year ago, I'm sitting at a bar and I glanced across, and I'm looking at a ghost. Turns out he'd actually been recruited back then, not killed, to do… well, the bad stuff that governments like to deny.”

“How'd you hire him?”

“He'd given me the number to his answering service in the Caymans. And then they provided me with a single-use email address, a numbered account. Emailed him the name of his target, wired him the money and waited.” Cole continues to explain but Lizzie is somehow not convinced with what he’s talking about, but she didn’t want to tell Hope just yet as to not put her hopes down.

“Okay, here's the deal-- You're gonna contact Rathborne with a contract on Vong. You're gonna tell him that the police are taking him to the DA's office for a deposition, that he can't make it there alive.”

Cole cuts her off “It doesn't work like that. He wants his money up front. It's 100 grand, non negotiable.”

“100 grand? The city is never gonna agree to that.”

“Look, you want to catch her killer, the price is 100 grand.”

“I can't just shoot that kind of money out into space without any hope of getting it back.”

“You can't. I can. This one's on me.”

“Saltzman.”

  
“Do we have a deal?“

“We do...but my client's immunity kicks in the moment Rathborne accepts the contract, once the wire transfer is complete.”

“As soon as Rathborne takes the job, your part is done.”

“And I walk?”

“You walk.” Hope confirms with Cole.

* * *

It was already late in the afternoon when Hope’s team found out about Rathborne taking the bait. As soon as she did, she gathered the policemen to let them know of their plan of taking Rathborne down.

“Rathborne has taken the bait. Now for today's performance, the role of Johnny Vong will be played by officer Clayton Lee.”

“We who are about to die salute you.” An officer made a light joke.

“MG and Kaleb will escort Lee to the DA's office via a prearranged route. We'll have plainclothes in place on every corner and mid-block, and there'll also be air support, for what it's worth.” Hope gave the team further instructions on how to make their plan happen.

“No one even knows what Rathborne looks like.”

“He shouldn't be too hard to spot.” Officer Lee tells Lizzie.

“Yeah, he'll be the one who's trying to kill you.” MG says.

“All right, let's go, everybody.”

Once everyone is in full gear, the team immediately dispatched and went to the field where they would be meeting with Rathborne.

Hope and Lizzie decided to stay back at the station but Hope continues to check on the team she sent out.

“Hey, Mikaelson. It’s a solid plan.” Lizzie reassures her.

Before Hope can answer Lizzie, MG speaks through the radio that Hope had in her hand. “We're entering the parking garage.”

“Alright. Eyes out.” Kaleb tells MG as he puts the car in stop. “This guy's supposed to like close-up work.”

MG then advised other police. “Be advised. We are now on foot.”

A policeman says on the other line, “Rathborne's making his move.”

Kaleb was quick enough to move the moment he saw Rathborne grabbing his gun out of his coat. “On the ground! Drop it! Drop it! Don't move!”

“What the hell's wrong with you?”

“It's a phone. Disregard. Disregard. It's not him.” Kaleb orders everyone after they find out they got the wrong guy. “We must have spooked him. Rathborne didn't show.”

After hearing this from Kaleb, Hope dropped on her chair feeling defeated. “I let her down.”

“No, you didn't.” Lizzie did her best to comfort the detective.

“Rathborne in the wind. Dick Cole's about to walk. I missed something.”

“Could've been me.Rathborne could've checked the routing number, realized the money was coming from my account, not Dick's. I was arrogant.” Lizzie says as she moves closer to Hope.

“I didn't think you were arrogant, Saltzman. I thought what you did was sweet. And I will pay you back.” But Lizzie was quick to cut her off, not wanting to get paid by Hope.

“Negative, ghostrider. Small price to pay for a shot at your mother's killer.”

“Her killer.”

“What?”

“Cole said it was 100 grand to catch her killer.”

“And you never told him it was your mother that was murdered.” When they had this figured out, Hope and Lizzie went to the releasing area of the station to confront Dick Cole.

“There was no Rathborne. That was just a cover. It was you.”

“Clever girl, detective.” He says before punching the releasing office so he could grab the gun out of his belt and when Cole did, he immediately grabbed Lizzie and held her, a gun pointing behind her back.

“All right.” Hope tries to grab Lizzie off of him but he was holding her tightly. “Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah. Now here's what's gonna happen. We're just gonna stroll on over to the elevator together, nice and easy.”

“That’ll never happen.” Hope tries her best to be calm, but she knows Lizzie is scared right now especially the fact that she just got shot a few months back and Hope remembers that during their first case together this had already happened. So even though Lizzie tries her best to act calm while having a gun on her back, Hope can see deep in her eyes that she’s scared and Hope knows she needs to act carefully so as to not put the author in danger.

“You make a sound, you attempt a signal, you so much as clear your throat, and I'll put a round in this girl's liver. And she will die slowly and inconsiderable pain.” He then pushes Lizzie towards the direction of the elevator for them to start walking. “Let’s go.”

Then the three of them started walking as calmly as possible as to not to alarm the entire station. “What, no pithy remarks from the peanut gallery? Not so funny facing your own death, is it?” He asked Lizzie as he tried to push her a little to walk faster. Hope was quick enough to hold her arm as for her to not to get off her balance.

“I don't know, Dick. You tell me. Last time I checked, this was a police station.” Lizzie finally lets out a witty remark. When they passed through the office of Captain he immediately notice what was going on, so he went on the other side of his office so he could walk right in front of them without being noticed by Cole.

“You knew my mom was your victim.” It was now Hope’s turn to speak, still wanting to get a details from him about the death of her mother.

“It wasn't personal, okay? She was just another job.”

“She was my mother. Who hired you to kill her?”

“Forget it. You'll never touch 'em. They'll bury you.”

“Tell me who.” As soon as Hope asked Cole, the captain had showed up, pointing his gun towards their direction. Ready to aim at Cole.

“No. No. No! Sir! I need him alive.” Hope pleaded.

“That's right. You do need me. Now back him off, or Saltzman dies.”

“Sir, back off please.” Hope pleads with the captain once again.

“Hey. You want to learn who ordered the hit on your mommy? You better make sure I make it outta here.”

“Roy... please.”

“That's right Roy. Nice and easy. Nice and easy.”

Then the captain decides to finally put down his gun, then Lizzie decides to headbutt Cole as to distract him and to let him go, however, when Cole realizes that he was able to let go of Lizzie, he points his gun again towards Lizzie. But Hope was fast, he shot him on his belly, twice. Hope knows what she did was wrong since she still needs answers about her mother’s murder case but she can’t let the same man kill Lizzie.

She then went down on the floor and tried to give Cole CPR.

“Come on!” She says as she makes a pressure on him to get him back to breathing. “Come on. Stay with me. One. Three. Four. Come on. Stay with me. No. Come on. Stay with me. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight.”

Hope continued to do this for several times until Lizzie grabbed her, and when she finally let go, she couldn’t help but to break down in Lizzie's arms. Hope was so angry. Angry at Cole for not telling her who had killed her mother, angry at herself for letting down her mother, but she knows there’s nothing that can be done now. Cole is gone, and her lead towards the death of her mother was gone with the wind.

* * *

The next day, Lizzie went to the station early and was surprised to see that Hope was there earlier than her, she kind of expected that the detective would come in a little late after what had happened from yesterday.

Hope finally noticed the author who was hovering behind her and answers her unspoken question.

“Oh. Hudson's post-incident evaluation. You come off like Steven Seagal.”

“Should I be flattered or insulted?” Lizzie asked before she sat on her usual chair beside Hope’s work desk.

“Both.” Hope chuckled at the blonde’s facial expression.

“Um, hey, I didn't know what you felt like, so... I got sushi, I got some italian, got some thai, and I grabbed some hot dogs.” Lizzie says as she puts out the food and places them on Hope’s desk.

“It wasn't your fault, you know.”

“I overstepped. I came down here to say that I was sorry and that I'm through. I can't shadow you anymore. If it wasn't for me--”

“If it wasn't for you, I would've never found my mom's killer. And someday soon, I'm gonna find the sons of bitches who had Cole killed her. And I'd like you around when I do. And if you tell anyone what I'm about to say, there's gonna be another shooting, but... I've gotten used to you pulling my pigtails. I have a hard job, Liz, and having you around makes it a little more fun.”

“Your secret's safe with me.” Lizzie gave the detective a much needed reassurance and after that, they had started digging in on all the foods Lizzie brought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments and kudos are well appreciated. By the way, someone sent me a DM on my twitter asking if I would still continue my Posie fanfic my answer is yes I just need to watch the movie again for me to have a proper interpretation of the story and I will do it as soon as possible but I might go back to writing it once this fic is done. 
> 
> Feel free to come and say hi to me on my twitter @gaywitchtribrid, yeah I'm that girl who always have posie and hizzie breakdowns.


	6. A Mistress' Foreplay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope and Lizzie investigates the death of a graduate student who is studying the sociology of sexual bondage and domination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw // (i'm not so sure if the other items should be part of the tw but i had them included just in case.)
> 
> mentions of sexual assault  
> mention of SART kit - a kit being used to test if a person was raped or sexually assaulted  
> mentions of sex toys  
> mentions of bondage
> 
> This chapter is based on one of my favorite episode from season two, and I really did enjoy writing this chapter especially writing a playful Hope who had teased Lizzie a lot of times.

It was a warm morning in Mystic Falls and a good day to go for a jog on a weekend just like what Allie was doing today. She was on her way to her final round of her jog where she headed towards the park. When she finally did, she took a short break, gasping all the air she could. Allie decided to run further down the park when suddenly something caught her attention, she decides to go near what she can see and she moves closer she realize that it was a lifeless girl and in her underwears, covered in something gooey and was hanging on a monkey bar- as panic arise she immediately called 911 to report what she saw.

  
  


* * *

About an hour later, Hope and Lizzie arrived at the crime scene where they were greeted by Kaleb who was briefing them with the latest crime at hand.

“Our vic's a female, late 20s, no ID, She was found hanging from the monkey bars by a jogger just after dawn.” Kaleb states as they walk further down where the victim is being examined by Penelope.

“Is that honey?” Lizzie asked as soon as she saw the lifeless body laid on the grass.

“From the smell of it, I'd say it's caramel sauce.” Penelope replies, not even looking up to properly greet the two. “But I'll be testing, not _tasting."_

“Caramel sauce?” Hope asked to clarify if she heard Penelope correctly. 

“Maybe our killer has a sweet tooth.” Lizzie once again couldn’t help but to make a joke out of the situation.

“Given her state of undress, I'd say it's more likely he had a sexual fetish.”

“Yeah, I can do the chocolate, I'll even do the whipped cream bikini, but caramel? I prefer slippery to sticky.” Penelope comments on what Hope just said.

“Bondage cuffs, custom made? Looks like our killer liked public play.”

“Woah Mikaelson, how can you tell the difference between custom and regular?”

In which Hope replied with “The leather is too high quality to be mass-produced, and it's hand-stitched.”

“No, I mean, how can you tell the _difference?_ ” Hope didn’t say anything to this question by Lizzie instead she stared at her and smirked before turning away to talk to Penelope.

“So, time of death?”

“From body temperature, I'd say between 10:00 and 11:00 last night, but I'm pretty sure she was not killed here. Based on lividity, she spent several hours in the fetal position after she died. And then was hung here a few hours ago. Petechial hemorrhaging suggests she was suffocated. And then there's these.” Penelope then points on the marks located on the victim’s legs.

“Was she restrained?”

“Looks like it.”

“Yo, Mikaelson.” MG calls for Hope’s attention on the other side of the monkey bar. “Crime scene is negative for any signs of a struggle. Found about a dozen partial shoe impressions, but the ground's too cold to get any imprints.” 

“But... we did find this.” Kaleb says as he crouches down with a measuring tape. “Wheel marks, about 18 inches apart.”

“Rolling suitcase?” Lizzie asks as she appears beside Hope.

“And judging by the depth of the tracks, I'd say it was carrying something heavy. I'm guessing around, uh, 105 pounds.” Kaleb continues.

“So he killed her elsewhere and then brought her here.”

“Yeah, which means the crime scene could be anywhere.”

“The psychology doesn't make any sense. The crime scene was pretty elaborately staged, which seems to suggest a significant amount of premeditation, but the murder itself-- suffocation-- might indicate a crime of passion.” Lizzie then states as he observes further on what could have happened with the victim.

“Guy covered her in caramel. Do you really think we're gonna find a logical explanation?” MG asks Lizzie.

“Only a handful of bondage shops in the city do custom work. So let's take photos of those cuffs, send it out, see if anyone can I.D. where it came from.”

“Only a handful of shops? Wow, Mikealson, you really are surprising me today. What else are you not telling me?”

“So much, Saltzman. So very, very much.”

* * *

Later that day, the team went back to the station to conduct more investigation about the case. MG and Kaleb were set to look for websites that could be possibly selling the kind of cuffs that were used to the victim.

“It's a little creepy doing this with you breathing on my neck.”

“Oh, sorry, MG. I mean, I'd do it on mine, but IT. checks browser history, so…”

“Great. Thanks.”

“What does that thing do?” Kaleb asks as he points towards the screen of MG’s computer. 

“Looks like a potato peeler.”

“Yeah. Oh, that is nasty. Oh.”

“And illegal in 12 states.” Lizzie says as she went back from the restroom.

“Yeah you’re right. Thanks, Pen.” Hope ends her call with Penelope the moment Lizzie approaches her.

“What’s right?” The blonde author asked.

  
  


“Penelope ran a sart kit. There's no signs of sexual assault or activity. This has all the makings of a sex crime, but there's no sex involved”

“Well, maybe our psychopath believes in abstinence.” Lizzie jokes and she and Hope moves towards their murder board.

“It's more likely he has a performance problem. And there's no I.D. Her fingerprints aren't in the system.”

The author and the detective were interrupted by MG and Kaleb’s reaction about a certain video they were watching. The two walked towards the two men, interested in whatever it is they are watching. 

“How do you even get into that position? MG asks, his curiosity was very obvious.

“I don't know, but you should try that with your, uh, girlfriend, honey milk.” Ever since MG has been drinking a specific kind of milk that was influenced to him by his girlfriend, Kaleb has started giving him the nickname, honey milk. “As a matter of fact, I think I'm gonna buy this for you right now.” Kaleb continues to make fun of his partner, as he reaches to his mouse to get the item to be added on the shopping cart at the website.

“Oh, jeez. How do you even get in that position?” Lizzie asks too the moment she sees what is being shown into the monitor.

“Right? It's not even possible.” Kaleb comments on, eyes fixated on the monitor.

When it was Hope’s turn to look at the monitor, she just simply made a comment that it is possible to be in whatever sexual position that is being shown on the monitor. Upon hearing this, Lizzie, MG, and Kaleb quickly turned their heads to the detective, all mouths were open. But Hope ignores their reaction. She then asks Kaleb if there’s anything coming from the canvass that could help them with the case.

“Nothing yet.” He replies, turning his full attention to Hope. “And nothing back from missing persons. Given that it just happened last night, It's most likely not gonna be reported for a couple of days.”

“What about the cuffs?”

MG now answers Hope, “We found 7 shops in downtown Mystic Falls that make custom bondage gear.”

“And while we're waiting to hear back, we're gonna buy a gift for MG's imaginary girlfriend.”

“Oh yeah, When are we gonna meet that Nia?” Lizzie asks. She has always been intrigued by the girl who’s been making her new friend really happy.

“When the time is right, I'll bring her around. I don't want you guys scaring her off.” MG defends his girlfriend.

The moment MG’s phone rings, Kaleb makes fun of him again by telling Hope that Nia checks him almost every hour.

“You guys, give him a break. I wouldn't bring my boyfriend around here either.”

“Boyfriend? Did I miss something?” Lizzie asks as she moves in front of Hope, as if to interrogate the detective. Whatever it was that she was going to say however gets cut when MG returns to his seat.

  
  
  


“So that was Barry from the Love Shackle. He says the cuff might be theirs, but he'd have to examine 'em up close to know for sure.”

“Well, then have evidence pulled then and tell them Lizzie and I are coming.

“Oooh a field trip to a sex shop. Bye, boys!” Lizzie coos as she follows Hope.

“Look at him following her. Who's whipped, huh,me or her?” MG asks his partner.

And as always his partner made fun of him. “You, bro, hands down.”

* * *

During the afternoon, Hope and Lizzie went to the Love Shackle sex shop to check if they were the ones who made the cuffs that were used to the victim.

“You know, while we're here, we should really pick up something for that new imaginary boyfriend of yours.” The author comments as they were scanning the sex shop.

Before Hope can make a remark, Barry finally shows up.

“Hey, guys. Looking for something special?” He asked the women in front of him in which Lizzie answered with a yes and Hope with a no.

“Just getting' started, huh? Yeah, we get a lot of first timers. We carry everything from bondage 101 all the way up to the more advanced stuff for your pleasure Phd.” Barry says as he ushers the two in every corner of his shop, showing numerous sex toys to choose from. “But if you're just looking to dip your toe in the water, these little guys are best sellers.” He informs the author and the detective as he grabs a cuff covered in leopard fur. “Want to give 'em a try?”

“No, thanks. I've already got a pair of my own.” Hope then opens her blazer to show her police cuffs that were attached to her belt.

Then three of them then move to the shop’s counter to let Barry check on the evidence.

“Double cross lap stitch on the seam. Yeah, this is definitely one of mine.”

“Can you tell us who ordered them?”

“I remember this kid. Very vanilla. Then again, it's always the normal-looking ones that end up being the most freaky, right?”

  
  


“Do you have a name or a billing address?”

“Yeah. The cuffs were purchased six months ago by Tyler Benson.” Barry confirms after checking his computer for purchase records. “He had 'em specially made for his girlfriend. Cute girl, too.”

“You remember her?” Lizzie asks, feeling hopeful with their new case.

“Yeah, brunette, mid-20s, asked a lot of questions.”

Hope then looks at Lizzie before she hands the picture of the victim to Barry. “Did she by any chance look like this?”

“Oh, my god.” Was all Barry could say as he take a look on the picture Hope handed him.

“We need to talk to Tyler Benson and find out what he was doing last night.”

“My guess is killing his girlfriend.”

The author and detective thanked the shop owner after he was able to provide them the answers they needed on this case.

Later that afternoon, they now have Tyler Benson inside the box for interrogation.

“That's Jessica. Jessica Miller-- my girlfriend.” Tyler confirms the moment Hope shows him the photos of how they found Jessica this morning. “Next week was our one-year anniversary. I was going to propose.” He continues as tears start to fall.

“Where were you last night, Mr. Benson?” Hope asks this time.

“At the hospital. I'm in my first year. I was working a 24-hour shift. You can ask my attending.”

“Have you ever seen these before?” Lizzie then reaches to a plastic bag with the cuffs inside.

“Yeah, I-I bought them for Jessica a few months ago. Why?”

“She was found hanging by them in the park. You guys like to play?” 

“What? No. We never even used them. They were--they were just supposed to be a joke because of her research.”

“Research?”

“I tried to be supportive, but I should've stopped her. I should've pushed her to study something else.” Tyler’s voice was now shaking, thinking that what Jessica was studying could be the reason why he lost his girlfriend.

“What was she studying?” The detective questions.

“The sociology of sexual bondage and domination. She spent months meeting people in that world, trying to understand what made them tick. And they killed her for it.” Tyler’s voice was now full of disgust and anger thinking of the people who did this to his girlfriend.

“And where did you keep these cuffs?”

“I don't--I don't know. At her place, I guess. Her roommate probably knows. The two of them were, like, attached at the hip.”

When Hope felt that Tyler was giving them the true answers she decided to send him home and made him a promise of staying in town until the case gets resolved.

The next day, Hope and Lizzie went to the apartment of Jessica and her best friend to question her.

“Jessica and I have been roommates since freshman year. We've lived together so long, we're practically sisters.”

“Tyler said that you might know where she kept the cuffs he gave her.”

“Oh, detective, she showed them to me when she got them, but I never saw them after that.”

“And when was the last time that you saw Jessica?” Lizzie gives her turn in questioning.

“Yesterday morning.”

“What about her research? Did she ever talk to you about where she went, Uh, the people involved?”

“No Ms. Saltzman. She pretty much kept all that to herself.”

The interview was then interrupted when Kaleb calls Hope for them to talk in the corner after he and MG have checked the room for any evidence that could lead into having this case solved.

“Detective Mikaelson. So the bed hasn't been slept in. There's no signs of a struggle.”

“Cell phone, purse?”

“Nada.”

“Which means she was somewhere else where she was killed. Okay, let's put a trace on her cell phone. If she has a gps locator, we might get lucky.”

“Alright.” The boys agree to what Hope wants them to do.

When Hope came back to the living room, she continued to question Jessica’s best friend.

“Did Jessica ever mention where she was going to be last night?”

“No. I-I got in at around 10:00. It didn't look like she had been home. Since Tyler was on call, I assumed she was up at the university working on her thesis.”

As soon as the author and the detective left the victim’s apartment, they straight away went to the university where Jessica spends her time with her thesis.

“I wish I could help you, Detective, sometimes she'd work late, but she wasn't here last night.” Professor Williams, Jessica’s thesis advisor informs Hope and Lizzie.

“Are you sure about that?”

“I was here till 11:00 grading papers. I would've seen her.”

“As her advisor, how much would you know about the people that she was researching?”

“She was spending a lot of time with a dominatrix named Mistress Venom.”

Lizzie scoffs as she hears the name. “Mistress Venom? Sounds more like "Penthouse Forum" than Phd.”

“Ms. Saltzman, people who study sex-related fields are often derided within academia. Jessica was determined not to be held hostage by their little minds. Venom was Jessica's guide to that world. If you want to know more about the people Jessica was studying, You'll have to ask Venom.” He says as they entered the university’s library and went to a secluded area where Jessica spends most of her time whenever she’s doing her thesis.

“Kelly, this is Detective Mikaelson and Lizzie Saltzman. They need to see Jessica's research.” And with that, Mr. Williams left.

  
  
  


After a few minutes, the university’s janitor finally arrived to have Jessica’s cabinet unlocked.

“She kept her notes locked up?” Lizzie asks as they patiently wait for the cabinet to be opened.

“She was a finalist for the Kellerman fellowship. You know, when you're competing against other people in the department, the last thing you want to do is leave your notes lying around.”

“Well, it looks like a lot of late nights.” Hope comments as she walks towards the table of Jessica.

“When Tyler was on shift, she'd just pull an all-nighter and go visit him on his breaks-” Kelly was stopped abruptly when a fellow student of hers came in, the boy was hysterically telling her the news about how their friend Jessica was found. 

“Kelly, did you hear how they found her?”

“Matt--” Kelly calms him.

“Tied to the monkey bars on a playground in her underwear?”

Kelly tries again to get him to calm down and to let him know that they have visitors. 

“Matt, um, this is Detective Mikaelson. She's here investigating Jessica's death.” Kelly introduced him and the boy finally paid attention to their visitors. “Matt, Jess and I all started the Phd program at the same time.”

“I can tell you were close.”

“I'm sorry, detective. It's just--” Whatever it was that Matt was trying to explain gets cut off by Hope when she asks Kelly if Jessica happens to have enemies in the department. However, Matt got a little defensive.

“Just because we were competing for the same fellowship doesn't mean that we weren't civil.” He say.

“Not everyone was civil. In the last few weeks, Jessica was getting these phone calls on her office line.” Kelly reveals. 

Then Lizzie asked what kind of calls she was getting.

“Um, heavy breathing, moaning. Made you want to take a hand sanitizer shower.”

  
  


“Seems a little immature for grad students.”

“Look, I'm studying the impact of AIDS treatments in inner-city clinics. Kelly's is about overcoming the glass ceiling. And Jessica was watching a dominatrix dig her stiletto into some loser's chest. She was bound to get some grief for it.”

After their interview with Jessica’s fellow grad students, Hope and Lizzie went back to the station to check on Jessica’s notes and see if there could be anything that could lead them into having her case resolved.

“Jessica's notes on Venom's sessions are pretty detailed.” The author commends. “She studied these guys like lab rats.”

“But she only identifies them by nickname--"ladyboy," "pin cushion" and "scared bunny." and I don’t know, it kind of doesn’t make any sense.” Hope says as she reads through the victim’s notes.

“You know what Hope, if they didn't know what Jessica was doing, and one of them found out…”

“Fear of exposure would be a strong motive to kill.” Hope agrees with Lizzie’s theory.

“I wonder what attracted her to all this.” Lizzie wonders out loud after she put down one of Jessica’s notes that she had just finished reading.

“Well, according to her thesis proposal, she became interested in s&m after witnessing a dysfunctional relationship up close. Apparently her dissertation compares the overt expressions of dominance in the Malivore to more subtle expressions in real-world relationships...Like who drives.” Hope ended her sentence smugly knowing she’s the one who is driving between the two of them.

In which Lizzie quickly defends. “Hey, I would drive if you would let me.” Then she realized, “That actually didn't prove my point like I thought it would.” which earns her a smirk from Hope.

“You know, it says here that Mistress Venom works in a bondage club somewhere in Malivore Alley, but it doesn't say which one.”

“Malivore Alley.” Lizzie recalls the name, feeling she had seen or read it somewhere before. 

“It's an area between Charles and Midtown. There's a whole slew of fetish clubs there.” Hope answers Lizzie’s unspoken question.

“Yes, I know where Malivore Alley is. I want to know...How do _you_ know?” Lizzie emphasized the word you dramatically. Ever since they had started with this case, she has been intrigued that Hope knows all things related to bondage.

“Vice raided a few of them looking for a reason to shut them down. But since there's no sexual contact and the acts are all consensual, it was perfectly legal.” Hope explained.

“Hmm. You know, you should moonlight. Seriously, you would make a fortune. Come on. Haven't you ever wanted to do... something with your handcuffs other than arrest criminals?” Lizzie’s teases the detective and as she teases on, Lizzie couldn’t help but notice the blush that had crept up on her neck.

Hope looked at the author thoughtfully, thinking of what to answer eventually, she settled with, “No. But there is one hot...wild...kinky thing that I do like doing.” Hope says as she leans closer to Lizzie to whisper in her ear. “Putting killers behind bars.” 

When it comes to teasing, it had always been a back and forth between these two. Always up on who can make the other get flustered more.

“See? You're already a tease. You're halfway there.” But as always, they get interrupted by either MG or Kaleb, like this time around it’s MG who had them interrupted.

“Hey, we tried to trace the creepy calls that Jessica was getting at her office. But since they were routed through the main switchboard at the college, there's no way to determine their source.” MG says as he walks in on the conference room where Hope and Lizzie were.

A couple of seconds later, Kaleb was seen walking behind him, like his leash was attached to MG. 

“What about the cell phone?” Hope asks the other detectives.

“The day she died, she placed a call to her boyfriend at the hospital, she placed a call to her voice mail at the office, and she placed two calls to Lady Anastasia's House of Pain.” Kaleb gives the details to Hope coming from the call investigations he conducted.

“Lady Anastasia’s House of Pain?” Hope asks in clarification as Kaleb gave her the files of his investigations. “That must be where Mistress Venom works. Did you get an address?”

“Yeah, an office building on 38th.” Kaleb tells the detective.

“Alright you guys look through her notes, see if there's anything that's there that might implicate one of her clients. Meanwhile, Saltzman and I will go and meet this Mistress Venom.” Hope says as she hands over all the notes to both MG and Kaleb then she stands up to get ready to leave.

“Whips, women and murder-- sounds like my lucky day.”

“I’m so glad you’re excited about this, Lizzie.” 

Before they finally leave the station, Hope makes a quick call to Lady Anastasia’s House of Pain to pretend as someone who wants to be their client.

“Hi, my name is Hope, and my girlfriend has been a very bad girl.” She says looking intensely at Lizzie’s eyes as she wears her grey blazer.

“Yes that’s right.” Hope continues over the phone. “Her name is Lizzie.” 

Lizzie abruptly stopped fixing herself when she heard Hope say her name, “What are you doing?” Lizzie asks as she tries to take away the phone from Hope. The two ended up in a chase. Hope would run away and Lizzie would follow around still trying to get the phone away from Hope.

“Actually, a friend of mine recommended a Mistress Venom. Is she available today? 4:00 pm? Sure, that's perfect. Thank you.” Hope then ends the call and faces Lizzie.

“Okay, that's very funny. Now call her back.” Lizzie demands at Hope. 

“Nuh uh, Saltzman. This is the perfect way to get Venom without tipping our hand.” Hope says to a pouting author in front of her. “What's the matter, Saltzman? Are you afraid of a little role play?” Hope giggles at her before she leaves the conference room to gather her belongings and leaves for the mission for the after.

* * *

When they arrived at the building where Lady Anastasia House of Place is located, the two were amazed with what it looked like inside. The place looks so elegant, as if only upper class people can be allowed to enter the said place.

The walls and the floors were covered with glassy marble tiles, the chairs looked like thrones to be only seated on by kings and queens, they were colored white. Towards the end of the short walk from the entrance, they were greeted by the receptionist who was wearing a black coat and black pencil skirt, hair tied up in an elegant bun.

“Welcome to Lady Anastasia's House of Pain.” The receptionist greets them.

“This place looks like a law firm.” Lizzie says towards the end of their walk to the reception area.

  
  


“What'd you think it was gonna be, torture wheels and women in corsets?”

“Well yeah.”

The receptionist might have heard their conversation as she answers them with “that's in the back.” She then smiles at the two new visitors. “How can I serve you?”

Hope turns into her character. The one she had while she was on the phone.

“Well, answer her!” She yells causing the author to get a little jumpy. “You see what I have to deal with? My girlfriend Lizzie has an appointment at 4:00 pm with Mistress Venom.”

“Will you be joining?” The receptionist asked Hope.

“Oh, yes. I've been dying to watch her squirm.” Hope answered, but she faces Lizzie to hide the grin wanting to be released as she said those lines. Lizzie on the other hand couldn’t help it anymore as she let out a small chuckle.

“Mistress Venom would be delighted to have an audience. Follow me, please.”

The three of them walked inside on this huge silver door, where music can be heard all over.

“Do you think we could gag her?” Hope asks the receptionist as she follows her inside, Lizzie however, when she heard what Hope just asked became a little hesitant, but follows inside after a few seconds.

“Hope!” She calls out to the detective. Remember, my safe word is "apples.".

  
  


The room they went inside was full of sex toys. There’s a huge cabinet full of dildos and vibrators in different colors. On the wall at the right side, you can find different kinds of whip that can be used and on the table on the left side, there’s a lot of different sex items that are being used for bondage. At the center wall, there’s a wheel with different types of items to be used in restraining someone who dares to be tied up on the wheel.

  
  


“Hey you should bring your new boyfriend here.” Lizzie says teasingly on Hope’s ear. Before Hope can say anything, the elegant brown at the end of the room opens, revealing a woman in her sexy and leather clad body. Hands covered in lacy gloves up to her elbows. A black whip on her hand.

“Mistress Venom?” Hope asked.

The woman who just came in answered her as she walked closer to the author and detective. “Mistress Venom is unavailable. But I'm Lady Anastasia. I own this Malivore. I'm sure we can find another dominatrix to suit your needs.”

“I'm afraid we can't. I'm Detective Mikaelson. I need to speak with her right now concerning a murder investigation.”

Lady Anastasia was surprised to hear this, she didn’t know anything that had happened. “Who was murdered?” She asks, staying calm as she could.

“Jessica Miller.” Hope replies immediately. “The Phd student who was observing her sessions.”

“There was no one observing her sessions.” Anastasia replied.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. Privacy is paramount in my Malivore.” 

“You've never seen this girl?” Hope asks again but this time she holds up Jessica’s photo from the crime scene. 

“Of course I've seen that girl. She wasn't observing Mistress Venom. She was Mistress Venom.” Anastasia grabs the nearby photobook and shows them the picture of Jessica, clothed as Mistress Venom.

Lady Anastasia brought the author and the detective in her office to discuss further the murder of Jessica.

“Well, this explains the marks on her body. Jessica must have been wearing this before she died.” Hope comments on as she observes the photos of Jessica on the album shown to them by Anastasia.

“Like cruel shoes, these outfits can leave marks for hours after you wear them. She had three sessions yesterday. She left around 7:30.” Anastasia explained to the detective why Jessica got those kinds of marks.

“You really had no idea that Jessica was conducting A sociological experiment out of your Malivore?” The author asks as she seats on one of the leather chair in front of Anastasia’s table, while Hope was looking around checking if there’s anything unusual.

  
  


“No. She came to me about six months ago. Quickly became one of my most requested doms.”

“Did Jessica have any clients who were unusually obsessed with her?”

“Of course detective. I mean, they all were. But her clients were submissive. Killing is an act of dominance.”

“You and I both know that people aren't that simple. Men and women might come here for humiliation and torture, but it's easy to imagine that one of them might have been pushed too far and lashed out.”

“If she was concerned for her safety, she would've told me.”

“Do you have a list of Jessica's clients?”

“Detective...All of the services that we provide here are perfectly legal. Now part of that service is protecting the privacy of our client. I'm not about to betray the trust that they've paid for because you have a hunch.” Anastasia explained, worried this might affect her clients.

“Oh, I think it's more than just a hunch.”

“Well, gee, I'm sorry. Unless you have a court order, my hands are tied, so to speak.”

“You're pretty well-versed in law for a dominatrix.”

“Don't let the leather fool you. I used to be a partner at a law firm.” Anastasia tells Hope about her observation.

“Wow.” Lizzie was pretty much amused by Anastasia.

“When you dominate and manipulate men or women in every boardroom and courtroom that you're in, this just seemed like the natural progression.” She then walked closer to Lizzie, making the author squirm a little. “It’s called mistress red.”

“Excuse me?” Lizzie’s stuttered.

“My lipstick. I noticed you couldn't stop staring.”

When Hope and Lizzie walked out of Anastasia’s office, they start to discuss the things they were able to gather. Moans and groans and whipping can be heard coming from different rooms.

“Sorry. It was just hypnotic.” Lizzie starts as she explains what happened about the lipstick comment of Anastasia.

“It's not you. It's her.”

“Well, if you're so upset, we could find someone for you to go medieval on, like, uh, him perhaps.” Lizzie points towards a mistress who passed them by with a man on blindfold and leather shorts only, a chain around his neck.

“She wants to protect her clients? What about her girls?” Hope asks concerned of whatever monkey business that might be going on.

“Hey. You the cop?” A woman in her mid 20’s called over to them, funny that she was wearing a sexy police uniform as her costume.

“I’m Detective Mikaelson.”

“I'm Mistress Sapphire. So it's true? She's dead?” Sapphire was trying her best not to cry as soon as Hope confirms.

“This weird thing happened last week I think you should know about.” She tells Hope and Lizzie.

“With one of her clients?” Lizzie was the first one to ask.

“Sort of. A first-time client came in for a session, but he left just after a few minutes. I found her in the locker room, crying.”

“Did she tell you why?”

“No, detective.”

“This client, do you remember anything about him?” 

“It was a week ago, and I only saw him from behind. But he was wearing one of those medical shirts.”

“Scrubs?” Hope asked already knowing who Sapphire might be talking about. 

“Yes.”

“You think what I'm thinking, Saltzman?”

“Jessica's boyfriend discovered her secret identity. And instead of proposing to her, he kills her.”

With this new information, Hope had invited Tyler once again to the station for another round of interrogation. 

“Jessica was the love of my life. Why would I want to hurt her?” He tells Hope.

“Because she hurt you.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“You said so yourself. You wanted her to stop. You were gonna make her study something else. It must have been a real shocker when you realized she wasn't just studying that world, She was living it.” Hope ended her sentence by slamming a photo of Jessica in front of Tyler, dressed as Mistress Venom.

“What the hell is this?” Tyler was totally surprised upon seeing this picture of his girlfriend. “This is crazy. You're telling me this is real? You're telling me Jessica was one of them?” 

However, Hope wasn’t buying his reactions.

“Why did you go to the Malivore last week? Was it to confront her?”

Still confused and surprised by what was going on, Tyler asked “Malivore?”

“We have a witness who saw you there. It's completely understandable. The woman that you loved lied to you? I could see how you could lose control and go into a jealous rage. And then in a panic, decide to stage the body in a manner so unusual, we'd naturally assume it was someone in the bondage world.” Lizzie tells Tyler about what he could have probably done. 

“I never went to a Malivore. There was no jealous rage because I didn't know! I was going to marry her. We just signed a lease to move in together three days ago. If I was so angry with her, why would I do that?” Tyler says, his voice was now cracking and tears were overflowing.

After having Tyler interviewed again and after they had him sent home, Hope and Lizzie went back out and to look over for details that they might have overlooked.

  
  


“He was telling the truth about the lease. Not only did he and Jessica sign the lease, but it was also notarized.” Hope informs everyone around the murder board. They have invited over Captain Hudson to ask for his inputs regarding the case.

“That doesn't mean he didn't do it. He could had her sign to help his alibi.” The captain says.

“Maybe she was afraid of him. I've been thinking-- the dysfunctional relationship she refers to in her research. There's a passage where she describes subject "a" as being afraid to tell subject "b" that she's leaving because he's become dangerously codependent. What if she was describing Tyler?” Lizzie shares. It was always an advantage that the author has a photographic memory and a speed reader skills because her theories and insights work almost all the time.

“Maybe that's why she became a dominatrix, to give her the courage to stand up for herself.” Hudson says.

“We have uniforms combing through hospital security footage. If Tyler left at any point that night, there should be some trace.”

“Alright detective. In the meantime, let's just keep digging through those notebooks. We're gonna need more than speculation if we want to file charges.” Hudson says before he went back to his open.

“Thank you, captain.”

* * *

The next day, when Lizzie arrived at the station she notice that Hope was standing right in front of the murder board and in deep thoughts.

“What are you looking for?” She asks as she hands the detective her cup of coffee. 

“According to the security footage, the boyfriend never left the hospital during his shift. It wasn't him.”

“Maybe he faked the footage?”

“Really, Liz? He’s an intern not Jason Bourne.”

“Oh. Well, there goes my subject "b" theory.”

“So Jessica left the Malivore at 7:30, and she was killed sometime between 10:00 and 11:00.” Hope says as she points to the timeline they have written on the murder board. “If she didn't go home or to the university, then where did she go?”

“Mikaelson. Something in here you gotta see. It's one of Jessica's subjects.” Kalebs says as he pops his head from the conference room’s door.

When Hope and Lizzie went there, the captain was also there with MG and Kaleb, the boys had called him before Hope and Lizzie entered.

“She calls him "sam-I-am."

“Because he has a Dr. Seuss fetish?” Lizzie earns her comment a chuckle from everyone in the room, except for Hope who once again rolled her eyes.

“No. Because he's a sam--"a smart-assed masochist." According to her notes, a sam pretends

he wants to be submissive, but what he actually wants to do is dominate his Mistress, usually with passive-aggression.” MG explains as he was handling a photocopy of this specific note to both Hope and Captain Hudson.

“Instead of asking for what he wants, he makes a game out of making other people upset so they can be punished.” Kaleb continues on what MG was explaining.

“Really? There's people like that?” Hope asks, looking smugly at Lizzie.

“Only these sams can be dangerous. Sometimes resorting to threats to provoke their response. Listen to this.” MG then reads a line from Jessica’s notes. “he said Mistress Venom was the one who needed to be punished. He said he was going to finder, tie her up and drown her, but in something... sweet, like caramel."

“Sexual obsession and a description of the crime scene. Sounds like our guy to me.” Hudson inputs after he hears what MG reads.

“Yeah, but we only got a nickname.” Kaleb says to his captain.

“We have more than a nickname. We have enough to force Lady Anastasia to turn over her client list.” Hope says before she talks to the person on the other end of the line of the call she made. “Judge Markway, please.”

“Ooh. Sounds like someone's gonna get punished.” 

  
  


After a while, they were able to contact the person behind sam-i-am and have him invited over to be investigated.

Before Hope went inside the box, Kaleb briefed her with the details about him.

“William Caraway, aka "sam-I-am." Senior vice president at Stewart, Cabot and Sagansky. "

“The global consulting firm?” Lizzie asked in which Kaleb confirms.

“No wonder Lady Anastasia was protecting his identity.”

“Saltzman, why don't you sit this one out? I think Mr. Caraway will respond better to a strong female hand.” Hope then zips her leather jacket as if emphasizing her point and heads over inside the box.

“Sam-I-am... in a box...with a fox--we're gonna need some popcorn.” Lizzie commented when it was just her and Kaleb watching through the glass of the box.

When Hope enters, she immediately tells William to sit.

“First why don't you tell me why the hell I'm here? I got a board meeting--”

“I said sit down... now.” When he finally followed what Hope wanted him to do, she praises him with a “Good boy. Your Mistress would be very proud of you.”

“Excuse me?” 

“Mistress Venom. Lady Anastasia’s House of Pain. You like to be tied up, you like to be spanked. But more than anything, you like to make threats.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“There is no dominatrix-client privilege in Mystic Falls and your Mistress was very thorough in documenting your deepest, darkest desires-- The thing with the matches, How you liked it messy.” Hope reads on to William the notes Jessica had written down.

“She wrote that down?”

“She also wrote how you wanted to turn the tables on her, how you threatened to tie her up and drown her in caramel.”

“I-it's fantasy.” Williams was quick to defend.

“But the fantasies weren't enough. And so you had to make your dreams come true.” Hope then shows Jessica’s picture to him.

“No, that's not possible.”

“The more she said no, the more you became obsessed. You didn't want to be the submissive. You wanted to dominate her, and the ultimate domination is murder.”

“No, I swear. I didn't even know she was dead.” William was mortified upon seeing the photo.

“You were very specific in your threats, and that's exactly how we found her. Do you really expect me to believe that that wasn't you?” Hope’s voice was stern. She needed to make Williams snap and confess.

“Well--well, someone must have found out. Someone could've read her notes.”

“Where were you two nights ago?” Caraway was a little hesitant to answer the detective. “Mr. Caraway, where were you?”

“I was with my wife. It was our anniversary.” 

When Hope came out of the box, Kaleb confirms to her that Caraway was indeed with his wife at their anniversary party.

“This staging was way too specific to be just a coincidence. Somebody knew.”

“Maybe she told someone. Maybe someone had access to the research. Filing cabinet's not Fort Knox. Anyone with access would've read exactly what we read and could use it to throw us off their trail.” Lizzie says conversationally to both Hope and Kaleb.

“Okay. You and MG go back to the Malivore. See if any of the girls swap stories after work. Meanwhile, Saltzman and I will go to the university and see who had access to her research.” Hope instructs Kaleb, and with that the four of them went to their separate ways.  
  


* * *

MG and Kaleb had their own sets of women to interview regarding Jessica’s client when they get to the Malivore.

“No, Mistress Venom never mentioned him to me, or any of her other clients.”

“Really? Come on. You girls don't share shop talk?” Kalebs asks as he walks closer to one of the mistress.

“You work here long enough,and the kinkiest things you could ever imagine…are just another day at the office.” She says as she runs her whip on Kalebs chest, playfully hitting him with it. “The only time we trade info is if we share clients, but Mistress Venom didn't share. Do you mind unstrapping my boot?” She says as she raised her right leg and tapping it with her whip, ignoring the fact that she was letting a detective do this to her in the middle of a murder investigation.

Before doing what he was told, Kaleb takes a glance behind him to check where MG was, and apparently his partner was still busy with his interviews.

“Uh, thank you,Mistress Amber?” He points out to the taller girl who confirms it with a soft yes. “And Mistress Scorpion?” He asks the other one who answers with a nod in return. “Okay, I get 'em confused. I'm sorry.” MG says to the girls he was interviewing.

Kaleb on the other hand continues to interview the girl he was talking to while he’s unstrapping her boot.

“Okay. Did she have any clients that might have been, uh, acting suspicious?”

But instead of giving Kaleb an answer, she demanded him to move faster on unstrapping her boot. However, it was very obvious that Kaleb was having a very hard time doing what he was tasked to do.

“Is, uh, is there a possibility that she may have mentioned one client's fetishes to another client?”

To his surprise, the mistress finally cooperated. “Absolutely not. Lady Anastasia beats confidentiality rules into our heads. Mistress Venom wasn't stupid.” But she stops answering again when she notices Kaleb struggling so she hits him lightly with her whip, “Is there a problem? Just this knot. It's like an octagonal knot. It's got, like, eight sides. I've never seen a knot like--”

  
  


“Detective Hawkins brings crime to its knees.” MG jokes when he sees his partner knelt in front of the mistress, still working on her boot. Kaleb attempts to stand but he is stopped by the mistress.

“Stay.”

“So none of the girls claim that they remember Jessica talking about any of her clients. But I think we might have an explanation as to where she was between the time she left work and when she was killed.” MG explains to a busy Kaleb. “Uh, Mistress Scorpion thinks that Jessica might have been working off the books.” He continues.

“Well, if she was, then she was asking for trouble. Nothing upsets Lady Anastasia more than some girl trying to screw her out of her 40%.”

“Hey, detective, you want to help out your little buddy here? He seems to be all thumbs.”

* * *

In the meanwhile, Hope and Lizzie finally arrived at Jessica’s university and are now interviewing Kelly.

“You were her office mate, Kelly. It would've been very easy for you to access her files.” 

“No detective. No, it wouldn't. I told you. She was very private about her work.”

“You mean to tell me, she didn't once slip out to the bathroom and just leave her notes sitting on the desk?” Lizzie asked as she sat on Jessica’s table, and however, something had caught her attention, a brown folder that was lying open on the table. She took it and browsed it. 

“If she did, I wouldn't be interested and the night she was killed, I was out of town with my folks.” Kelly explains to the author and the detective.

“Does anyone else have access to this office?”

“The only other person with a key to the office is maintenance.”

“What about your keys? Did you ever lose them or lend them to a friend?” Lizzie asked again as she was still looking through the folder she had found.

“No. I mean, I gave them to Matt last week because he said he had some papers here. What, you think he broke into her filing cabinet and took her research?” Kelly asked as she noticed Hope and Lizzie looking to each other.

"That is exactly what I'm thinking.” Lizzie says as she walked closer to the long table in the middle of the room, the part where Hope and Kelly were seated. “You said it yourself. It's a very competitive program. And they were both finalists for the same fellowship.” Lizzie then showed the folder she was holding to Hope. “This is, uh, Matt's proposal for studying the effect of A.I.D.S. on inner-city clinics. Look at the picture. He's in scrubs.”

“It wasn't Tyler who confronted Jessica at the malivore. It was Matt.” Hope says after seeing the picture Lizzie was referring to.

When they came back at the station, Matt was already there and they escorted him right away towards the box to have him interrogated.

“I borrowed Kelly's keys. That doesn't prove anything.” He tells the author and the detective.

“Which is why we took a look at the whole picture. This is a list of phone calls made from your cell phone to the university switchboard. Each one coincides with a harassing call to Jessica. You made those calls.” Hope hands over a paper to Matt to show him what she meant.

“Look, it was a joke.” He says.

“How about your little visit to Jessica at the malivore last week? Was that a joke as well?” Hope was loosing her tempter although she’s good at hiding it but Lizzie always knows that’s why the author placed her right hand on Hope’s left thigh, it was her simple gesture to calm Hope and in return, Hope would squeeze her to let her know she feels grounded and calm just with Lizzie’s touch. It had always been like this whenever Hope loses her temper during interrogations.

“She didn't tell anybody where the malivore was. So how'd you find it? Did you follow her or the clues in her research?” Lizzie intervenes.

“You were her rival for a fellowship. You needed her out of the way. And when you read her research, you saw your chance.” Hope says, her town going a higher pitch.

“Look, I needed that funding, okay? My work is important. I mean, come on. Seriously. I couldn't let her get that fellowship. And when I saw her research, I mean, it read like fiction. So I went to the malivore to find out.” 

“So you broke in to her filing cabinet, You copied her research, and then you followed her to the malivore. You're not putting a whole lot of checks in the innocent column here, Matt.” It was now Lizzie who was doing the interrogation, as Hope was trying to calm herself again, Hope’s getting pissed with everything Matt is telling them that she needed a moment to be silent.

“The innocent column.” Matt snorts at that.

“Listen… I threatened her. Alright? But I did not kill her, when I found out that she was Mistress Venom, I told her that if she didn't withdraw her fellowship application, I was gonna tell her boyfriend.” Matt made another bullshit explanation.

“And when that didn't work, you killed her?”

“It did work. Jessica withdrew her application the day before she was killed.”

Hope speaks again, her voice is now calmer and asks Matt how he knew about Jessica withdrawing her application.

“Because she blind copied me on an e-mail that she sent to the head of the committee. We were cool. What she was most concerned about was getting back this research that I copied. So as soon as she was out of the running, I brought it all back to her apartment.”

An hour after their interrogation with Matt and knowing he was telling the truth they finally asked him to go home. Hope and Lizzie went back to her table.

“You know you are morally challenged if your murder alibi is a blackmailing scheme.” Lizzie says the moment they reached Hope’s desk.

“Yeah, but if he's telling the truth, then we have no motive.”

After a few minutes, Kaleb and MG arrives from Malivore.

“Well, hello, gentleman. How was your trip to the malivore?” Lizzie asks the moment she saw them.

“Well, we learned that Kaleb is not very good with laces.” 

“There were a lot of laces--”

“I-I loosened 'em for you.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“None of the girls admit to Jessica sharing any of her client secrets with 'em. Oh, one of 'em thought that she might have been seeing clients outside of the dungeon, which might explain the hole in our timeline.” MG tells Hope and Lizzie.

  
  


“But we ran through her phones and financials again. We can't find any record of it. How about you? Hear you have a suspect.” Kaleb then asks Hope after sharing the details he gathered from earlier.

“Had. Matt was telling the truth. Jessica pulled out of the fellowship. But if he was telling the truth, then where's all the research he brought back to her apartment?” 

“Given her concerns for privacy, she wouldn't just throw it away. And we know she didn't take it

back to the university.” Lizzie asks as she reads the email that was sent to Hope by Matt as a proof that he was telling them the truth.

“Well, maybe we missed something. Maybe she hid it somewhere. Or maybe Matt is lying about the research.” Hope concludes and made a decision of going back to Jessica’s apartment to have her roommate be interviewed again.

So the next day it was what they did.

“So you didn't see a stack of paperwork?”

“No detective. I would've noticed that. Maybe she took them up to school?”

“No, it wasn't there either.”

“Are you sure Matt's telling the truth?” Jessica’s best friend asked her visitors.

“Most people lie to avoid suspicion. Not a lot of people lie to incriminate themselves.” Lizzie explains.

“That night that you came home, did you notice anything different or out of place?”

Jessica’s best friend perks up a little, “Now that you mention it, I did find something odd.” She walked towards the kitchen, followed by the author and the detective. “Earlier tonight I was emptying the dishwasher, and I found a wine glass with lipstick on it. It didn't seem like Jessica's shade, and it wasn't one of mine. I put it aside to hand-wash it later.”

“Recognize this shade?” Hope asks Lizzie as she hands her the wine glass.

“If I'm not mistaken, and I rarely am, that's Mistress Red.”

So with that in mind, the two of them went back to the station to interview Mistress Anastasia who was called in by MG while Hope and Lizzie were on their way back. The moment Lizzie sees her with a different clothes, something that was way different from what she was wearing when they met, her amusement was all over the place.

“Did you know that lip prints are a lot like fingerprints? No two are exactly alike.” Hope asks Mistress Anastasia. “We found this on a wine glass in Jessica's apartment.” She then hands over to the mistress the picture of the wine on Jessica’s apartment. “What do you think we'll find when we compare it to your lips?”

“That stain could've been there for months.” The mistress tells them.

“But it wasn't. We checked with your… car service. They said they dropped you off at 9:00 pm in front of Jessica's place the night she was killed. You were the last one to see her alive. What happened that night? Did you find out who she really was. That she was studying her clients without their permission? I mean, if word of that got out… that would've destroyed your business. That can't have made you happy."

“And you're grasping at straws, And that can't make you happy. Detective, at this time, I'm exercising my right to legal counsel. I won't be answering any further questions.” Mistress Anastasia says after what Hope had told her. 

When Hope and Lizzie went out from the box and head towards Hope’s work station, MG and Kaleb arrived too coming from Jessica’s apartment. The two went there too for further checking of the apartment.

“Yo! How'd it go with Lady Anastasia?” MG asks as soon as he see saw Hope and Lizzie.

“She's lawyering up.” Hope simply answers. “What'd you guys find at Jessica's apartment?”

“Well, it looks like we found the crime scene. Anastasia was pretty good at cleaning up after herself. There was no trace or blood evidence, but the area around Jessica's bedside table, lit up like a Christmas tree. It'd been scrubbed down with bleach.” Kaleb tells them everything they have found out.

“That's why we didn't find Jessica's research. Anastasia got rid of it all.” The detective says as she finally figures out what happened with Jessica’s research.

“Yeah, but she didn't quite clean everything. Once C.S.U. stripped the bed, the swab test revealed dried saliva in one of her pillows from her screams as she was smothered.” MG informs them.

“Looks like she'd do anything to protect her business, even kill.” 

“Alright, lawyer or not, let's book her.”

“Let's do it.”

* * *

When Lizzie went home that night, she still cant keep her mind off the case while she was cooking with Caroline. It was just the two of them as Josie is with Penelope.

“Are you straining those noodles or just my patience?” Caroline asks her daughter.

“Oh, I'm... sorry. Just… This case. I keep thinking that I'm missing something.”

“Yeah, me, too. Salt.” Caroline says as she asks her daughter to have the salt passed onto her.

“Whoa. W-whoa. Mom! That’s too much!” Lizzie’s eyes widened with all the salt Caroline poured in the pasta sauce she was making. “Can you die from sodium poisoning?”

Then Caroline tasted it and was disgusted with how bad it turned out, god thing, Lizzie knows what to do with the sauce.

“Hey mom, let me finish that. And you do the cleaning up.” After saying the word clean up, something came up to Lizzie’s mind, as if it was a eureka, so after her dinner with her mom she went back to the station.

* * *

“Who washed the pillowcase?” Lizzie asks as soon as she gets to Hope’s table.

“What?” The detective was surprised to see the author again, a bag of food in hand.

“Oh here, mom and I cooked pasta and I thought I should bring you.” She says before she sat down on her usual chair beside Hope’s table. “MG said C.S.U. didn't find anything until they stripped the bed. That means there was saliva on the pillow, but not on the pillowcase.”

Then Hope finally realized what Lizzie was referring to. “You're right. Someone washed the pillowcase. But the washer-dryer cycle would've taken at least an hour.”

“At which point, Danica would've been home. Anastasia couldn't have gotten out in time. Only one person could've cleaned the apartment.” Lizzie points out.

When they had bought figured it out, Hope and Lizzie drove back to Jessica’s apartment to talk to Danica.

“I-I don't understand. I thought you'd caught the killer.” Danica says as Hope and Lizzie entered the apartment. 

“We thought so, too.” Hope informs Danica.

“If it wasn't her, then who?” Danica asks the author and the detective.

“It was you, Danica.” Lizzie confirms.

“Me?” Danica was still playing dumb and acting all innocent when they already know it was her. “Oh, why would I kill my best friend?”

Hope then proceeds to explain what they found from Jessica’s research. “In her research, Jessica describes being in a dysfunctional relationship, one she was scared to leave because the other person had become so dangerously codependent.”

Lizzie then continues, “At first we thought it was her boyfriend Tyler. But it wasn't, was it?”

“I don't know what you're talking about.” Danica continued with her front.

“The research that Matt dropped off--her research-- must've been very hurtful to read all the things that she wrote about you.”

Danica was now crying at this point. “Jessica loved me. She would never hurt me.”

Lizzie then reads a line from Jessica’s research. “"subject 'b' shows all the signs of being a masochist, completely dependent for her sense of self."

“We know you readthe files, Danica. That's why you staged her body that way.” Hope tells her.

“No, I didn't read anything. There was nothing here.” Danica defended herself.

“Because you got rid of it all.” Lizzie now tells Danica of how she cleaned up the crime scene.

“You’re wrong.” 

“It had to have been you, Danica. You were the only one who had time to clean up after yourself.”

Lizzie then tells Danica her observation about Jessica’s office. “Judging from her office space, Jessica wasn't the kind of girl that scrubbed her floor clean with bleach.”

“Jessica told you… she had to get away from you. She told you… she was gonna leave.”

“She...She was… everything to me, detective. I thought we were family, but then she wrote those awful things! She had no right.”

  
  


“What happened that night?” Hope asked, surprisingly she was still very calm.

“She said she was… gonna move out, that she was done with me. I pushed her. She fell. Her head… hit the table. She started to scream. She said--she said she hated me! I told her to shut up! I just wanted her to shut up.” Danica was now on full on crying, her face read, veins close to popping out. Her anger came back as she tells the story to the author and the detective. 

“And then you put a pillow over her head and you suffocated her.”

“I... I didn't mean to kill her. I just didn't want her to go.” Danica confess before she was arrested by Hope.

After they had put her behind the bars, Hope and Lizzie went to have a meeting with Kaleb, MG, and the captain of how their arrest went.

“In the end, Saltzman was right. The murder was a crime of passion. The cuffs, the caramel were all just theater to throw us off.”

“I can't help but think that if Matt hadn't copied Jessica's research, Danica never would've read it, none of this woulda happened.” Lizzie says after Hope tells everyone about Danica admitting the crime she did.

“Well, now he won't get his precious little fellowship or his degree. What about Lady Anastasia? What was she doing at the apartment?” Captain Hudson asks his detectives.

“Some of the girls thought that Jessica was working off the books. So Anastasia came by to tell her to knock it off.” Hope answered her boss.

“They had a glass of wine, and she left.” Lizzie adds. “She just did it on the wrong night.”

“Yeah, but why'd she give you such a hard time, then?” Captain Hudson asks again.

“Because she's a lawyer. And a dominatrix.”

Their discussion was ended when a petite and really pretty black girl came in looking for MG.

“Hey. You made it.” He says as he approaches Nia and kissed her. “Guys, uh, I want you to meet...Nia.”

“Hi.” She says softly, and a little shy.

“Welcome. We've heard wonderful things about you.” Hope says as she stood and shakes Nia’s hand.”

“Oh, the same goes for all of you. I-I feel like I know you guys already.” Nia then offers them a smile. “You are so much prettier than your picture in "Cosmo." MG gave me his copy of "Amber Wave. I could not put it down." She tells Lizzie. She then turns to Kaleb who was still in awe after finally meeting Nia, he can’t believe that Nia is actually real and not just an imaginary girlfriend of MG. “And thanks for being such a great partner. You know, make sure you keep him safe out there.”

Kaleb confidently replies with, “You got it.”

MG cuts their short talk, “We have a movie to catch. I'll see you guys tomorrow.”

“You guys have a great time.” 

“Damn. If I had a girl like that, I might be whipped by her, too.” Kaleb comments the moment he was sure that MG wouldn’t be able to hear him. 

“Now we know why he didn't bring her around sooner.” Lizzie comments on.

“So the two of you don't act like idiots around her.”

“No, so we wouldn't try to steal her from him.” Kalebs joke which earns an eyeroll coming from both Hope and Lizzie.

When Kaleb left, Lizzie then asks Hope.

“So what about this imaginary boyfriend of yours? Are we gonna see him around here or is he at home tied to a bed?”

“What's the matter, Lizzie? You jealous?”

“No. You only get to punish him at night. You punish me all day.” Lizzie jokes as the two of them heads for the elevator to finally head home.

“Well, you deserve it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So does Hope really have a boyfriend or? 👀
> 
> Few reminders:
> 
> 1\. I'm on a social media break right now so if in case you leave me a DM on my twitter I wont be able to answer right away but will do as soon as I get back.
> 
> 2\. I wrote this chapter a couple of days ago but only had the chance to publish it today, anxiety is stopping me from being productive.
> 
> 3\. As always thank you for the wonderful comments and to those kudos that you guys are leaving. 'Til next update!
> 
> 4\. Wash your hands. Wear mask. Practice Social distancing and most of all, DON'T BE A KAREN.


	7. Pendulum Clock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanting to get noticed and arrested by Amber Wave, the character in Lizzie's book based on Hope, a killer calls Hope to report his crimes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw // suicide, gunshots, blood, and killings/murder

Lizzie was on her way to the station for her night shift with Hope and the rest of her team when she received a call from her PR manager to discuss the deal about her book, the one that they have previously talked about. Debi got an update regarding the major franchise of Lizzie’s book.

“Alright, Debi. Everything sounds good to me. I think you just need to discuss the updates with Josie and our lawyer then we’d be good to close the deal.” Lizzie says before finally hanging up her phone.

Just when she was headed to Hope’s desk, the detective came out from the station’s pantry and the author couldn’t hide her excitement anymore.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

“Ask me why I'm here.”

“You know, I ask myself that question every day.”

Lizzie rolled her eyes to Hope’s answer but she didn’t let that ruin her good mood. “I was just on the phone with my PR manager, Debi, with big news about the major franchise of my book.” She tells Hope like a 9 year old kid in a sugar rush.

“Mm-hmm.”

“Wanna guess?”

“Guessing would imply caring.” Hope teases as she sits down on her desk.

“I'll give you a hint.” Lizzie continues to ignore the way Hope is answering her, she knows too well that the detective was just making fun of her. “The headlines in the trades might read, Saltzman best seller to 'wave' up the big screen."

“Your book is being made into a movie?” What Lizzie just said really did get Hope’s attention that she actually made a proper comment this time.

Lizzie nods enthusiastically, “And you are about to be immortalized on the silver screen.”

“Actually, Amber Wave is going to be immortalized, not me.” 

“Yes, well, technically, but it's been widely publicized that you are the inspiration. So who would you like to play you in the movie?”

“Whoa. Are you kidding? They're really making an Amber Wave movie?” MG asks when they entered the work area and overheard what the author and the detective were talking about. 

“Congrats, Lizzie!” Kaleb gives her a fist bump, showing his support to the author.

“Thanks guys!”

“What do you think, can we get James McAvoy for Detective Raley?” MG continues to show his interest.

Suddenly, the phone at Hope’s desk rings and she answers it, ignoring the three who were still busy discussing the movie.

“Mikaelson.”

The man on the other line wanted to report a murder.

“Yes, I'd like to report a murder.”

“Do you have an address?”

“Where's the fun in that?” He says, his voice sounded like he was having so much fun about this.

“Okay.” Hope snaps her fingers to get the attention of the two other detectives, good thing MG, was quick enough to notice Hope and he grabs the phone on his desk to track the ongoing call with Hope. “Who is this?” She asks, starting to feel uneasy with this call.

“Oh, a fan.” He says in a monotone voice.

“Tell me more about this murder.” Hope encourages the man on the phone. MG made a hand signal to Hope to keep talking until he gets a proper tracing of the call, and so she did.

“Well, I did it. And that's all you need to know.” He says before he ends the call.

“Got it, Hope. It’s at Mystic Falls Train station.”

“Yeah, let's go.”

The team left the station as fast as they could to go the train station and to find the murder that has been reported to them.

“According to tech, the phone call came from the second booth at the end.” MG tells Hope as soon as they get to the lobby area. 

Hope then pushes open the door of the booth where the call came from, when she opens it she sees that the pay phone was not properly put down it was just hanging and you can still hear the dial tone. Kaleb, MG, and Lizzie all went to check the rest of the phone booths. 

Hope then checked the booth on her left side and saw a man seated, his head was leaning on the door. As she walked closer to take a peek at the booth, she saw blood, so much blood on the carpeted floor. They all then walked towards the booth where the body’s located. When Hope opened the door she was greeted by a man who is about mid 30’s-early 40’s year old with several gunshot wounds to his chest.

  
  


After a few minutes, the rest of the CSU team, headed by Forensics finally came to the crime scene to do canvassing of the area and to secure the area as it is now an open murder scene. CSU team was scattered all over the place, some are taking photos of the crime scene, some are swiping off the DNA, and some are searching for evidence or any trace left by the killer. One of the members of CSU approached Hope to hand her the victim’s wallet.

“His name's Alan Peterman, lives in Dobbs Ferry.” Hope reads the ID on the man’s wallet. “She sees that the cash was still there, “So it wasn't a robbery.” She confirms, she also sees a business card, pulls it out and finds out that the man is a personal injury attorney and was taking the train to go home everyday. “Anything other than GSWs?” Hope asked Penelope as she gave the wallet to her, it will now be considered as evidence.

“Nope, just the 5 shots to the chest from a 45.” Penelope confirms.

“A 45 makes a pretty loud snap, crackle and pop. I find it hard to believe no one heard it on the main concourse.” Lizzie tells Hope. Being on the field with Hope and the rest of the squad for about 6 months now made Lizzie familiar with guns and other weapons so it was easier now for her to give her opinions about this.

“He must have used a suppressor and waited for the train to pass by.” Hope replied giving her opinion too about how could the murder have been executed.

“I'll give you a call with an update once I get him back to the lab.” 

“Okay, thank you.”

“Hey. Quick-- who do you want to play you in the Amber Wave movie?” Lizzie couldn’t help not to ask her twin’s girlfriend.

“I don’t know but I think Naomi Scott would be a great choice.” She answers Lizzie before leaving them.

“See? Some people are just great at that game. You know who we could get for you? Kirsten Stewart.” Hope just went on to ignore Lizzie as she went to talk to MG and Kaleb.

“Hey, guys, where are we on the case?”

“We got a woman who says that she heard a loud sound around 8:45-- sounded like a car door slamming.” Kaleb informs them. “And she said she saw a white male, 30s, average height, exiting the waiting room, moving very quickly to the 42nd street exit. Said he was wearing a black coat, black ball cap, sunglasses and had some sort of beard, maybe a goatee.” 

“Alright, let's see if anyone can corroborate her description, and let's make up a sketch, show it to Alan Peterman's family. See if they recognize the killer.”

Lizzie notice that there was something worrying Hope and she asked her what it was and to which Hope answered that the man who called earlier reported his own murder and he sounded as if he did it for fun and she definitely finds it weird.

* * *

“Hey. You're up early.” Josie says as she saw her twin all dressed up as she went down and greeted her and Caroline at the kitchen.

“Yes, I have a date with Mikaelson at the morgue.” She tells them as she reaches out for some toast. “What nefarious plots are you two hatching? My birthday is coming up.” Lizzie comments as she noticed that her mother and twin were in a deep conversation.

“Our birthday.” Josie corrected her.

Before Lizzie could make another comment she receives a text message from Hope telling her she’s already outside. So with one more kiss to her mom and twin, Lizzie left for the day.

When the two arrived at Penelope’s lab, they were immediately informed of all the details about the death.

“Cause of death is multiple gunshot wounds. Tox indicates he had a martini about an hour before he died. Other than that, there is nothing interesting about the body.”

“So then why the call? When you could have just called us?” Hope teased her best friend.

“The body isn't interesting. But the bullets are.” Penelope says as they all moved at the nearby microscope where she had examined the bullets earlier. “Check out the marking on the end of the slugs.” She instructs Hope who went to take a look at the bullets.

“Aftermarket factory stamps?” 

“No.”

“Those aren't stamps. They're letters.” Lizzie says after she also did a quick check on the huge microscope. “And look, they're hand-etched. They spell something. They spell…” She then moves the letters, but fails to spell it correctly so Hope gives it a try, and finds it was spelled as Amber.

“That's why he called me. That's why he said he was a fan. He dedicated this murder to me.”

  
  


After finding that out, Hope and Lizzie went to talk to the captain to ask for the next actions they need to take regarding this case.

“Does he realize she's a fictional character not a real person?” Captain Hudson asked them. 

“Obviously, he's delusional, but given that Amber Wave is based on Detective Mikaelson, maybe he's confusing the two. And we showed Alan Peterman's family the sketch of our suspect. He did not look familiar.” Lizzie tells the captain.

“How are we on forensics?”

“CSU grabbed about 200 fingerprints, Captain. A thousand fibers and 60 odd DNA samples, and that was just from the phone box. They're working them up now...after they clear their backlog.” Hope tells the captain about the progress coming from the forensics.

MG went to knock on the conference room where Hope, Lizzie, and the captain were having a meeting.

“Mikaelson, the guy on the phone is looking for Detective Amber Wave.” Hope then followed MG out to take the call.

“Mikaelson.” She says as soon as she takes the call. 

“Amber, did you get the first part of my message?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Well, the second is at the Mystic Falls Park carousel.”

After the call they all immediately went to the said park which is by now abandoned to search the place. They went there walking slowly as possible to not alarm anyone who might still be there and just hiding somewhere. They rounded the entire carousel until they found the body. The caller was true to his words when they got there they found a woman’s lifeless body hanging on one of the horses at the carousel. 

As soon as they had pulled the body from the carousel, Penelope made her initial test on what could have cause the death.

“Same MO. She was shot 4 times with a 45. There are contusions on the victim's left side.” Penelope says as she lifts the victim’s shirt to show the contusions to Hope. “Consistent with the muzzle of a 45 being jammed into her ribs. I'm guessing the killer is left-handed.”

“CSU pulled the slugs from the back of the carriage?”

“Yes, there were letters on the slugs. They spell "w-i-l-l." Penelope confirms as she hands over the bag with the bullets for Hope to check.

“So he's sending a message. Amber will..” This made Hope, Lizzie, and Penelope think of what could be the message the killer is sending them.

“I guess it's official. Our guy is a serial killer.” Lizzie tells Hope as they move out of the carousel to leave the CSU in surveilling the entire scene.

“I would think that a serial killer would be like the holy grail for a crime novelist.”

“I guess it would be if it weren't for the Amber Wave of it all. I'm feeling a little bit responsible.” Lizzie was totally feeling guilty about this case, just like her first case with Hope. Crimes and killers are being inspired by her book.

“Really? Like the Beatles are responsible for Charles Manson 'cause of "Helter Skelter"? Or is it more like Jodie Foster is responsible for John Hinckley shooting Reagan?”

“If I hadn't created Amber Wave--”

“He would still be killing. He'd just find another reason why.” Hope tells Lizzie and does her best to convince the author that it isn’t her fault.

Suddenly, a blaring of sirens can be heard as a convoy of black cars can be seen approaching the crime scene.

“Alright, folks. Make way.” Someone said.

“Now what's going on? Either a UFO just landed on the other side of the park…” Lizzie was on her silly theories again.

“Or else the FBI is here to claim jurisdiction over this case.”

“Maybe they just want to ride on the carousel before the line gets too long.”

“Rope off a 10-foot circumference around the carousel. Sweep for prints and trace evidence. Close off the park entrance at 6th. Work up the entire footpath.” A woman with dark brown hair orders her colleague as they walk towards the crime scene.

  
  


“Here it goes.” Hope calmly says.

“Amber Wave, I presume.” The woman greets her with a forced smile.

“It's Mikaelson. Detective Hope Mikaelson.”

“Yeah, I read all about you in "Cosmo." And you must be the celebrity writer tag-along, Lizzie Saltzman.” 

“Special Agent Davina Claire.” The woman finally introduces herself.

“The same Davina Claire that broke the Hudson Valley Strangler Case back in 1991?” Lizzie asked obviously starstrucked with the agent.

“I also play a mean game of scrabble.” She tells Lizzie before she asks about the crime. “Now that we all know each other, I'd like to see the body.”

“Agent Claire, my people have already secured the area. CSU is on the scene, and we are canvassing the park.” Hope tells Davina, letting her know that everything is already being handled by her team. “So as happy as I am to see the cavalry, there's really not much left here for you to do.”

“Detective, the gods in the Marble Halls have sent me here to catch a killer, which I will do with or without your help, okay?” She tells Hope without even faltering. “Now could I see the body?”

  
  


As they were moving back inside, MG and Kaleb came out of the crime scene, MG was holding out the victim’s purse.

“Unis pulled this from a trash bin. Wallet's inside. The vic's name is Marla Lewis. According to her business card, she's a dog walker.” He then hands it over to Hope for her checking.

“There's a print here, and it's too large to be our victim's. Let's get it to the lab for--” Before Hope could finish her instructions, Davina took a photo of the purse to have it scanned to the system. “What are you doing?”

“That print is already in the lab and being processed. No muss, no fuss, no black powder on your clothes.” Davina replies as she waits for the scanning to finish.

“Wow. There's an app for that?” Lizzie asked, her kid side showing again.

“That's why I joined the FBI, Ms. Saltzman, for the toys.” Davina tells her as she waves her device “I'm really eager to see that body.” So MG and Kaleb escorted her inside.

* * *

After a few hours, Hope, Lizzie and her team together with Davina’s team all went back to the station. Davina’s team then set up their devices to make the solving of the case easier.

“What is going on?” Lizzie asked Hope as she noticed the commotion going on in one of their conference rooms.

“They're setting up the war room.”

“War room?”

“Tell me everything you know about Davina Claire.” Hope asks Lizzie. If Lizzie had noticed that Hope’s insecure of how good Davina is, Lizzie chose not to say anything about it.

“She is like the federal you.” Lizzie started. “She is good. She is really good. She cracked open that Hudson valley Strangler Case when she was just 25.” 

“I thought they caught him off of a speeding ticket?”

“Well, don't ask me how, but she profiled that he drove a Yugo.”

“They found a girl tied up in the back.” 

“Uh-huh. Davina Claire saved that girl's life.” Lizzie confirms to Hope.

“I've never seen you so excited to meet anyone before.” Hope had noticed how excited Lizzie is seeing these gadgets being installed in their conference room.

“No, I just-- I'm-- oh, I'm impressed with--Can we go see the war room now?” But before Hope could say anything the author already left her at the hallway.

“You're running partials, too, right?” Davina asked her partner, Agent Josh Rosza.

“Through all databases.” He answers as he continues to check on their database. “The lab's getting us information as fast as we can follow up.”

“I thought there was a backlog at the lab.” Hope asked Davina knowing she was kind of having a hard time with the lab earlier.

“I have a federal fast pass, so I get to jump the line.” Davina replies as if it’s no big deal. “Currently we are running 35 solid leads based on DNA, prints, trace evidence found from both crime scenes, and we're running it through the FBI data matrix. The matrix also looks for a connection between the victims in case the killer has a type or a favorite hunting ground or isn't killing randomly.” Davina continues to explain to both Hope and Lizzie their current progress regarding this case.

“Both Alan Peterman and Marla Lewis belonged to the same Wessex gym, but they went to different locations.” Lizzie informs them. “They were both members of MoMa. Hmm. They both adopted their dogs from the same ASPCA.”

“Wow! Sounds like it does your job for you.” Hope exclaimed. She was definitely getting why these gadgets are making Lizzie excited. It makes everything easier.

“A machine can collate. It can't think. It takes a mind to hunt a mind.” Davina says as they moved closer to their computerized and high tech version of their murder board to show Hope what she meant.

“Take this guy. He calls the police to report his own crime, likes to kill in heavily populated areas and uses bullets as messages.” Davina uses their current case as her example. “Now most of these stalker types can barely tie their own shoes. This one's different, smarter.”

“You almost sound like you admire him.”

“I admire him the way Robert Shaw admired the shark in "Jaws." The better I know him, the easier it'll be to catch him.”

“That's like when I'm writing. The killer's voice doesn't sound authentic unless I understand his motivation.” 

“Well, this guy likes to make a scene. I wouldn't be surprised if he was also an arsonist. In fact, I think that's what drew him to the Amber Wave character in the first place-- her name. Speaking of Detective Heat…”

They were a little interrupted when some of the member’s of Davina’s team came in carrying boxes of Lizzie’s books.

“Oh. Whoa. Whoa. Guys. Listen. Not that I don't appreciate the royalties, but, uh, why do you need a hundred copies of "Amber Wave"?” 

“If our killer is obsessed with Amber Wave, then so are we. Rosza, cliff notes please.”

Rosza started reading the cliff notes which are basically excerpts of crime scenes from Lizzie’s book. However, while in the middle of reading Lizzie interrupted him, telling him that it’s a best seller book and it should not be read in a very dry manner. Ignoring Lizzie’s instructions he went on to reading the notes he had.

“who's following her around for an article he's writing. Heat and Rook verbally spar, and in chapter 11, admit their attraction for one another and have sex.”

“It’s fiction.” Hope was quick to defend herself, however Lizzie just smirked at the author’s discomfort.

Rosza continues again, “In the end, when the killer's revealed, it turns out it's actually--”

“Oh, oh, oh. Spoiler alert.” Lizzie cuts him off.

“In deference to Ms. Saltzman’s artistic sensitivity, you can all read the book to find out the identity of the killer.” Davina tells her team.

“Thank you. And if you want me to autograph those for you, just form a single file line right here. Or not.”

  
  


Suddenly, there was a beep coming from Rosza’s computer. “We got a hit. That pinkie print off the second victim's purse belongs to a Donald Sanchez 2-time loser, on parole for a manslaughter conviction in 2005. They just matched it to the partial pinkie print your team recovered from Grand Central.” Rosza reads the details he received from the database.

“Two pinkie prints? So he was at the station and the carousel.”

“And the purse puts him with our victim.”

“Let’s mount up.”

The team together with the FBIs went to the location of the possible suspect who was reporting the murders he was doing.

“Sanchez lives in that brick building. His supervisor says he left work an hour ago. So he should be home by now.” Davina informs Hope and Lizzie who were with her in the black SUV. “When the others get here, we'll take him.”

Suddenly, Davina noticed over the rearview mirror what Lizzie was doing at the back of the car. “What is she doing?”

“She, um, touches things.” Hope simply answers as she looks at Lizzie too who was unaware that the women in front of her are watching her.

“Night vision goggles. I think I have the newer model, though.” Lizzie says as she puts down the night goggles. “You know, maybe in my third book, Amber Wave will cross swords with a good-looking, yet coldhearted FBI profiler. Call it "Federal Wave." When Lizzie finished what she was saying the women in front of her sends her daggers. “Or maybe not.”

“So how long were-- two been we're not sleeping together?” Davina asks, intrigued with the author and the detective’s relationship.

“Um… We're- we're not sleeping together. We-- she-- she just observes me.”

“Yeah. I've seen how she observes you.”

“No, she's right, this is the most sexless relationship I've ever been in.” Lizzie comments but ends up being ignored. 

“I've been profiling people for a long time. I'm hardly ever wrong.” Davina teases the blushing detective on her passenger seat.

“Well, this time you are... Wrong.”

“So if you're not sleeping together, why do you keep her around?”

“You know I can hear you?”

“She's actually proven to be surprisingly helpful.” Hope doesn’t know why but she ends up defending the author.

“Hmm. Have to take your word on that.” Davina was about to say something again to Hope but she noticed Lizzie playing with the taser. “Put the taser down.” When Hope sees Lizzie obeying Davina, she just ends up smiling fondly at her.

A few moments passed and the entire team already arrived at the location. “

“You stay in the car.”

“You heard her, Saltzman. Stay.”

“Could you at least crack the window for me?” And Hope did before she went out of the car.

“Come on. Let's go. Move, move.” Rosza orders everyone with Davina leading them.

“Let's make it quick and bloodless. Go, go, go, go.”

However, when they were about to get inside the building, they noticed a man who was carrying a brown bag, matching the description of their suspect and good thing Davina sees him.

“Stop! FBI! Hey!” Hope and Davina went to chase him, good thing Lizzie was quick enough to grab the taser she was playing with earlier and she was able to shoot him on his back. Putting him down on the ground. 

“See, I'm helping.”

“Yeah. I'll buy you an ice cream later.”

“Agent Claire, we got a problem. His pinkie finger's missing.” Hope says as she cuffs the man.

“Which one of you is Amber Wave?” 

* * *

After having arrested him, Hope and everyone else went back to the station to investigate Donald Sanchez.

“So I was on one of those internet barter sites, and I was looking-- It, uh, doesn't matter what I was looking for. But I came across the ad. "Finger wanted. Will pay top dollar." Donald tells Davina and Hope as they start interrogating him inside the box.

  
  


“And what's top dollar for a pinkie finger?”

  
  


“5,000 bucks, detective.” He says as if he wins the lottery. 

“Sounds like a real deal.”

“Hey, you get less than that for a kidney.” He tells them as if he wanted to offer his kidney too. “So anyway, I e-mailed him back. I told him I had everything he wanted.”

“You gave him the finger. What more did he want?” Davina asked him, still finding it hard to believe that someone would sell their body parts for a crime.

“He wanted me to have a violent felony conviction and to be recently paroled. And you also had to be willing to suffer through the indignity of a false arrest. He told me Detective Amber Wave would be coming for me… and it might get physical. He didn't mention anything about Black Widow with the taser gun.”

“So he warned you that he would be planting your print at a murder scene. Which is why you have an alibi.” 

“I was perched on my favorite bar stool at McSorley's until closing every night since that man took my digit and walked away with it in his cooler.”

“Is this the man?” Davina asked as she showed him the sketch of the suspect.

“I'm not sure. I didn't really see him. He had a hat and sunglasses.”

“Who bandaged your finger?”

“He did, detective.” Donald answered truthfully as he brought his hand closer to Hope. “He said you'd notice. Hope then rips off the bandage on his finger. “Ooh, be gentle with me, Amber.” 

When Hope ripped it off, she noticed something on the bandage.

“There's numbers here. This looks like a code.”

After their interrogation of Donald, the team went back to the conference room where they are doing all their investigations and research.

“Severed digits, a secret code-- this is like one of my books.”

“You should've been with me in the recapitator case.” Davina tells Lizzie. After seeing that Lizzie could actually help them, she finally started to loosen up with her.

“What, that guy in Phoenix who switched his victims' heads? That was your case?” Davina just shrugs in response to Lizzie’s question.

“Our techs have run the numbers through all conventional cryptology. We can't crack it.” Josh informs the women.

“Which means what?”

“There's either a reference key that we don't have or the code itself is just a random string of numbers.”

“It's not random. He bought another man's finger so he could leave a print that would lead us directly to this code. It's how he taunts Amber. He’s doing some “Are you clever enough to solve my riddle? So whatever this reference key is, he thinks you can find it, detective.” Davina tells Hope and it got her to thinking and agreeing with her that the numbers may actually have meaning.

“Those numbers could mean anything.”

“Well, the left-hand column is less than 300. Right-hand column is no more than 260.”

“And the combination of the joined pair most likely yields a word.”

“Words.” Lizzie finally realizes something, and it surprises both the detective and the agent how quickly she could think of this. “It's Amber Wave.” Lizzie then goes to grab one of her books to prove her point. “When we typeset a manuscript, it's usually 300 words a page. And "Heat Wave" is less than 300 pages. First column is a page number…Counting backwards from the bottom. 79. Second column is a word.” Lizzie together with the rest of the team starts to crack the code. “32, 33. "I." 

“126--80, "will." Davina cracks the second code.

“145--204, "kill." Hope cracks the third one. “"I will kill"...”

“Hang on. I'm uploading the text right now.” Josh tells them as he scans the book onto their system..

“I will kill someone else before midnight tonight unless you stop me."

“Midnight. That's eight hours away. He's putting us on the clock. He's daring us to stop him.” Hope finally understands what this man wants them to do, and now, everything is time limited, everything is on the edge.

By night time, Hope stayed out and studied their murder board, checking how to catch the man behind all these killings.

“Kickin' it old-school?” Lizzie had followed Hope outside after being there for almost fifteen minutes.

“The white board's always worked for me.” Hope simply answers as she receives the coffee coming from Lizzie. It’s gonna be one of their long nights again. “I've been going over subway routes, trying to see if I can trace a pattern from Mystic Falls Trainstation to the carousel to the next location, and so far, nothing definitive.” It had always been a comfort for Hope to talk to Lizie if there’s something she couldn’t figure out about their currency case.

“Well, maybe there's something about how he chooses his victims. First a man, then a woman.”

“A lawyer and a dog walker? Let's face it, Saltzman. There's no pattern there. There's no way to predict where he's gonna go next, and it's already 9:00, and we're out of time. Hope says as she checks on her watch. “And every murder he commits in the name of Amber Wave…”

“A very wise woman once told me, you can't blame Jodie Foster for John Hinckley. But you can blame her for "Nim's Island." Lizzie tells Hope, repeating the detective’s words from earlier, and this gained a smile coming from the detective.

However, the two got interrupted when there was a commotion going on outside of the conference room, so the two decided to go back inside to check if there’s an improvement.

“What have you got?” Hope asks one of Davina’s staff.

“Lead just came in now. Let's get it to Rosza.”

“Lab results came back on that bandage.Tested positive for formaldehyde, methanol and ethanol.” Rosza informs them.

After hearing this information, both Lizzie and Davina answered with “Embalming fluid.” at the same time.

“The lab found traces of formaldehyde Mystic Falls Trainstation and ethanol at the carousel.” Davina informs the entire team that are present at the conference room. 

“Our killer works at a mortuary?” Lizzie asks.

“Or he could be a hospital employee or a janitor at a morgue.”

“Sorry Hope but no. Saltzman’s theory is more likely. Bring up all the mortuaries in the city.” Davina instructs Rosza.

“We've got over a thousand in the downtown area alone.”

“Can you cross-reference mortuary experience with criminal records?” Lizzie asks.

“Or job finder groups for ex-cons.”

“Okay. I can try. Pulling them now.” Rosza says as he cross references the data. “Six names.”

“Mobilize the troops. I want every one of these guys in our custody before midnight.” Davina tells everyone before she stepped out of the conference room and when she passed by Hope she tells her, “I see what you mean about her being helpful.” 

Lizzie then follows Davina and as she passes by the detective, she gives her a thumbs up, unaware of the jealousy building on the detective.

* * *

Now that the mortuary employees are in their custody, Captain Hudson joins in too in the case.

“Any of these undertakers look good for it?” The captain asks as he arrives at the viewing area outside the box.

“They all say the same thing, "we work with dead bodies all day, we don't need to make more."

“He baited us, just like with that fingerprint. We're wasting our time.” 

MG then showed up at the viewing area. “Hey, Hope, he’s on the phone and asking for Amber Wave.”

Everyone then follows MG as Hope takes the call. When she gets to their office area, Davina tells her that they are tracing the call.

“Hello.”

“Amber? You were supposed to stop me. I wanted you to stop me.”

“Tell me where you are.”

“Will you come alone?”

Before answering, Hope looks over at Davina, “Yes, just you and me. We can figure this out. I can help you. You just need to trust me.”

“Tell me something...how does it feel to know that you have failed?” After asking that to Hope, the man on the other line ends the call, leaving everyone at the station holding their breaths.

  
  


After briefing everyone about their next move on catching the killer, Hope and her team together with Davina’s team all went to the place that they were able to track during the call.

The team was able to track a call from a parking area of a building.

“Check the stairs. Get a unit on the roof. I want eyes on every inch of this structure.” Davina tells every police officer that was with them.

“He was just here. That body can't be too far.” Hope says as she rashes over the phone booth the phone is still hanging. 

MG called out for them and they all went to where he was bent down and looking on a shoe and blood covered floor.

“Over here! A lot of blood. A woman's shoe. Got a broken heel. Strands of hair.” 

“Looks like our new victim puts up a fight.” 

Hope then notices the bullets scattered on the floor. “There's four shell casings. There's no way she would've survived without medical attention.”

“Then where's the body? He always leaves the body where he kills. And he always kills in famous places with lots of foot traffic.” Lizzie then states what she was able to observe.

“He's changing his MO. Which makes him more unpredictable, which makes him more dangerous.”

After a few minutes, Rosza showed up to where they are and to report what he and his team have checked in the entire parking area. “Structure's clear. There's no body.” He informs them.

“Where the hell did he put her?” Davina asks out loud, loud enough for Hope to hear her.

“He put her in his trunk. That blood trail ends right here.” Hope tells them as she was standing at one of the parking spaces.

“So he waited, probably left his car idling, took down his victim, popped his trunk, put her in, drove away, body on board.” Lizzie says as she follows the blood trail towards Hope.

“Get the parking attendant to give us a list of all the vehicles through here and the video footage.” Davina asks Rosza and his team to do this to find a chance at solving the case.

“You think he used his own car?” Lizzie questions.

“No, but if he stole it tonight, he might not have had time to switch the plates. We put out an APB.” Davina informs Lizzie.

“I'll get my guys to get a roster of all the people who had monthlies on this floor.” Hope suggested, trying to let Davina know that she’s still part of this team.

“My people are already on it. I got way more people than you do. Your captain has a unit in your apartment. Go home. Get some rest.” Davina then instructs Hope which obviously pisses the detective.

“It's not necess--” Hope tries to argue, but Davina cuts her off.

“No argument. You're no good to me if you're burned out.” Lizzie tried to comfort Hope after that conversation with Davina, but the detective just puts up her right hand, telling her she isn’t interested in whatever she plans on telling her.

* * *

  
The moment Lizzie got home, she saw her sister at the living room watching some crappy old movie with Penelope cuddled up and sleeping beside her. She smiles at them.

Lizzie has always admired Penelope and Josie’s relationship, she always know that ever since the two have met at one of her book launches, the two would hit it off and she would be lying to herself if that isn’t something she would want to have someday.

“Hi.” Josie greets her twin as she had noticed her twin hovering.

“What are you still doing up?” Lizzie already noticed that the moment she saw Josie but she was still left wondering over the fact that they aren’t in her room.

“Oh, can't sleep. I napped a lot this afternoon while waiting for Penelope to come over.” Josie answers as she rubs her hand on the sleeping beauty beside you. “Hey, you okay? You kinda seemed off.”

“This case, it just…If it wasn't for my book-- “ Lizzie started but Josie was quick to cut her off.

“What are you gonna do, stop writing because some idiot has got a screw loose?” She asks her twin who finally decides to seat beside her on the couch.

“No, it's just...I never intended to put her in harm's way.”

“Let me tell you something about Hope Mikaelson-” Penelope suddenly stirs awake beside Josie, she must have heard the twins talk.

“That gal can take care of herself. Really. She can always look after herself, but if you think there’s something you can do to help her out or to maybe comfort her, there shouldn’t be anything to stop you.” 

After her much needed talk with Josie and some unexpected push coming from Penelope, Lizzie decides to go to Hope’s apartment.

* * *

Hope was having dinner and watching netflix on her laptop when she suddenly hears footsteps outside of her apartment. Thinking that it could be the killer, she slowly got up and went to her dresser to get her gun.

But when she opened her door it was Lizzie with a bottle of wine in hand.

“Whoo! Wow!” The author yells as she sees the gun being pointed at her.

“Saltzman? What are you doing here?”

“Wine.” And with a roll of her eye, Hope lets her in.

“So what happened to your security detail? I didn't see anyone outside.”

“I sent them home after I got in.” Lizzie then gives her a questioning look. “What? The windows are locked, the door is locked, I'm armed.” She explains casually to the worried author.

At this point, Hope is now reading some of the records they were able to make during the last activities of their killer.

“So our guy killed the others where they were found. Why not this girl? Why didn't he just leave her in the garage, where we'd find her?”

“He's changing it up.” Lizzie starts as she sits beside Hope and hands her glass of wine. “Or this victim is special.”

“Oh, no, thanks.” Hope tries to decline the offered glass of wine.

“No, no, Agent Claire said we need to decompress.” Lizzie insists. “Nothing decompresses like a 2000 Chàteauneuf-du-Pape.” 

“Oh, well, if special agent Claire said so…” Hope’s jealous tone stirs Lizzie’s curiosity.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. I just see the way that you listen to her, the way that you look at all of her fancy equipment. Now my murder board's not enough for you? Now you need a smart board?”

“Are you jealous?”

“I'm not jealous. I'm just embarrassed…” Hope was of course quick to deny it to Lizzie. “the way that you act like a 9 year old, all impressed by her data matrix. "oh, it collates information so quickly, Agent Claire. Tell me all about it."

“You are ridiculous.” Lizzie scoffs at her.

“And then to top it off, you are now building theory with her.”

“So?” Lizzie asked, still oblivious about the detective’s feelings.

“So you're supposed to be building theory with me. You're supposed to be on my team.”

“Well, I thought we were all on the same team?”

“We are. It's just... I think that if you have an insight, you should run it by me first.”

“Fine. I will. Now drink your wine.”

“Thanks. But I am tired. And... I need to go to bed.” Hope politely motions for Lizzie to head home, however the author had a different plan.

“Oh, no. I'm not leaving. I'm here to protect you.”

“What, with your vast arsenal of rapier wit?”

“There is a madman gunning for you because of me. I am not going to leave you alone.” Lizzie tells her with a very serious tone.

“Okay, fine. I am too tired to argue. But if I see that door knob turn, I will have you know, Ms. Saltzman, that I sleep with a gun.”

“Understood.” 

  
  


The following day, Hope was surprised to wake up and to see Lizzie cooking breakfast.

“You're still here... and you're making pancakes?”

“I was hoping for bacon and eggs, but your eggs are expired and your bacon has something furry on it.”

“Yeah, well, I mostly order in.”

“I figured that from the styrofoam temple you've got going on in that garbage can.” Lizzie then points at the mountain of garbage near Hope’s exit door. “Coffee's brewed. I think your filter's broken though. I'll order you a new one later.”

“Wow. Looks like you thought of everything.”

“Except the paper.” Lizzie then walked towards the front door to get the morning paper despite Hope telling her that they don’t have time for it.

“Saltzman, we don't have time for the paper. There's a body out there that I gotta find.”

When Lizzie opens the door, she ends up screaming as the dead body from the previous night lands on her feet. “Looks like it found you.”

After about 45 minutes, MG and Kaleb along with the other police came to Hope’s apartment.

“So you had just gotten up, right?” MG interviews Hope about what had happened.

“Yeah. Saltzman just finished making breakfast, and he went to the door--”

“What kind of breakfast?” MG asks.

“Uh, I'm sorry?”

“What kind of breakfast was she making?” 

“Pancakes.”

“Well, isn't that domestic?” MG teases his fellow detective.

“Anyway, the paper usually arrives at 4:00, and we were up at 7:00. So that means the killer had a 3-hour window where he could've left the body there unnoticed.”

“And exactly what time did you and Ms. Saltzman went to bed last night?” MG continues to tease her.

“I think we're done here.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the apartment, Kaleb interviews Lizzie.

“Dude, I see Mikaelson in her jammies…Wine glasses on the table.” 

“There's nothing going on with Mikaelson and me. No more than there was yesterday.”

“Dude, you made her pancakes?” MG butts in.

“It's just breakfast.”

“Pancakes are not just breakfast.” Kaleb went back to his teasing of the author. “It's an edible way of saying, "thank you so much for last night."

“Saltzman, come on. We're your friends. Details.” MG insists.

“All right. Come here.” Lizzie then put her arms around the two other detectives, as if she was about to let out her deepest secret. “There are no details.” After that, Kaleb tells her he can’t even look at her as MG notes down that the witness refuses to cooperate.

At the living room area, Hope and Davina were talking about the dead body that was sent to Hope's apartment.

“Now we know why he took the body.”

"I know where you live." This was a threat.” Hope tells Davina.

“More than that. He's saying he's disappointed in you. In his mind, he gave you fair warning that he was going to kill again. He's saying, "this one is on you." I'm profiling him, Detective, not agreeing with him. The guy is a friggin' nut bar. Don't let him get to you.” Davina then shows her best in showing comfort to Hope.

“Talk about irony.” Lizzie then went over to Hope to show her that their killer made it to the first page of the morning paper.

“Do we have an ID on our vic?”

“No, not yet. There's no purse, no missing person's report filed. The coroner's van's downstairs. We need to get the body to the morgue and pull the slugs.” Davina explains to Hope. “Only four entry wounds. If the pattern holds, he should have a 4-letter word cross.”

“That's funny. I have a 4-letter word for him, too.”

“Why don't you two escort the body to the morgue and let me know what you find, detective.”

“Okay.”

“Once you're dressed, of course.”

* * *

When Hope and Lizzie arrived at Penelope’s lab, the forensic specialist was quick to make a joke about their pancakes.

“Hey. Heard you two were making pancakes when the body dropped.”

And of course both the author and the detective were quick to defend themselves by telling her that nothing has happened.

“Right.”

“So what do you get?” Hope ignores Penelope’s reaction.

“Letters on the slugs.” Penelope moves the bullets to spell out the word burn.

“Amber will burn.”

“Well, that's chilling.”

“Our victim's fingerprints aren't in the system. Do you have anything that can ID her?” Hope asks her best friend.

“Well, I found formaldehyde on her.”

“Yeah, that's from the killer. He left it at the other scenes as well.” Lizzie confirms.

“Not traces. It was under her fingernails, in her hair. She worked with embalming fluid. I also found traces of clay, polyurethane and animal blood. I don't know who she is, but I can tell you what she does.”

“She's a taxidermist.” Hope and Lizzie say in unison, figuring it at the same time.

“It's so cute, the way you two do that.” Hope rolled her eyes at this but of course Lizzie smiles at it.

After talking to Penelope, the two then went to talk to Davina about what they had found from the victim’s body.

“Taxidermy?” Davina asks in surprise.

“Embalming fluid plus animal hair equals Norman Bates' favorite pastime.

“It can't be just a coincidence that we found embalming fluid at our first two crime scenes as well.”

“So detective, the killer and this victim were connected?”

“It seems so.” Hope answers. “So there's only seven taxidermy shops in the city. My guys are running them down right now.”

“But if there was a connection between them, why didn't the comparison matrix find it?” Davina then wonders.

“Maybe it's not as simple as a work relationship or going to the same gym. Like you said, it takes a mind to hunt a mind.”

Kaleb then came to where they were talking in front of the muder board and told them that they were able to ID the latest victim.

“Yo. We got an ID on our third vic. Her name is Samantha Keller. She works at a taxidermy shop downtown.”

“Any connection between her and our killer?” Hope asks him then.

“A colleague of hers said she had a run-in with a guy who maybe matched our sketch-- a customer whose Bichon Frise had been killed in the park by another dog-- a Rottweiler.”

“Customer was heartbroken.”

“He paid half up front to have his Mr. Bumpkins preserved for eternity. When he came back to pick up his dog, he didn't have the fee. When Samantha refused to give up stuffed Bumpkins, 

the guy went ballistic and stormed out of the store. Two nights later, they had a break-in.Among the things that went missing are this guy's stuffed Bichon Frise and a bunch of embalming fluid.” Kaleb continues to explain his findings.

“That explains why we found traces of it at the murder scenes.” 

“He also trashed the store's computer. There's no client data, no name.” MG adds.

“My agents interviewed all of Marla Lewis' dog walking clients. One couple had to put their Rottweiler down because Marla lost control of it, and it killed another dog.”

“Mr. Bumpkins.” Lizzie realizes that it could be the connection to the victims. “So grief-stricken, our killer blames Marla and Samantha for the loss of his best friend and decides to get revenge.”

“All of this about a dog? What does this have to do with Amber Wave?” Hope wonders.

“The dog's the trigger. Maybe he was reading the book when it was killed. When he snapped, he somehow blamed Amber for it.”

“It seems a little absurd.”

“You must be a cat lover. Detective, he's looking for a reason to kill. This is it.” Davina jokes, trying to lighten the mood.

“What about our first vic?” Kaleb asks. “How does Peterman fit in all this?”

“Well, he was a personal injury lawyer. Maybe our murderer wanted to file a wrongful doggy death suit.” Lizzie also made a joke just to try to lighten the mood.

They then all moved to the conference room to search about Peterman.

“According to Peterman's notes, back in January, he had a meeting with Brian Conrad over a lawsuit about a dead dog. Peterman declined to take the case though.” Rosza reads through the data he was able to pull.

“That's the last piece of our puzzle.”

“ What do you have on Conrad?” Hope asks Rosza

“Just a photo from the DMV.” Which he then pulls up and has it shown on their smart board.

“Got you, you son of a bitch.” Davina says as soon as she sees that Brian Condrad’s photo matches the sketch of their killer.

* * *

The team had immediately gone to Brian’s location to have him arrested. As they were going out of the car, Davina was on a phone with her daughter.

“Yeah. Okay.” She answers her daughter. “Okay, sweetie. Mommy's gotta go arrest somebody, okay? I'll be home for dinner. All right. I love you. Bye.”

This actually surprises Hope, she had never imagined herself working at this kind of field having a daughter waiting for her at home.

“You're a mom?”

“Yeah. And you can holster your gun. You're both staying here.” Davina tells Hope and Lizzie when they were both following her. 

“What? No, come no. This is the final takedown.” Lizzie protests for getting benched again. “You can't let her do this to us.” Lizzie then tells Hope.

“No, Agent Claire is right. I'm his target. I can't compromise your team by walking into the line of fire.” 

“We'll take him down. It'll still be your collar.” Davina gives Hope a reassurance she knows she needs.

“Wow. She's a mom. I never would've pegged her for that. I figured she was a career-driven woman with no time for a family.” Hope says before she picks up her phone to answer her incoming call.

“Well, not everybody makes that choice.”

“Mikaelson.” Hope says as soon as she answers her phone. It was MG on the other line telling her that the killer was calling for her.

“Put him on.” When the call was transferred to her, the killer immediately speaks up and shows his disappointment in Hope.”

“Oh, you think you're so smart, don't you, Amber? You think, what, just because you found me that you won?”

Hope carefully put down her phone to talk to Lizzie. “He knows we're here.”

“It's over, Brian. Time to give up.” Hope and Lizzie went to walk around the corner until they spotted him in one of the apartment units at the building. A gun in his hand.

“No, it is not over!” 

Hope can now see Brian in one of the windows at the building where Davina and her team are headed to. “Brian, listen to me. You're surrounded. I need you to put the gun down.” Hope talks to him as she noticed that Brian had pointed a gun on his head.

“You know I can't do that, Amber.”

“Brian, I need you to step outside of your apartment with your hands raised.”

“That's not our game. One of us has to die.”

“No one has to die.” Hope continues to talk him down.

“Somebody always has to die! And since it can't be you…” Brian then shoots himself on his head.

As soon as Davina’s team heard the gunshot, they immediately broke inside the apartment where Brian is located.

“Go! Go! Go!”

“Kitchen's clear!” An officer yells after he had checked the kitchen.

“Bathroom's clear!” Another one yells.

Finally, Davina spots Brian lying on the floor, lifeless.

“We're sending the gun to ballistics, but given it's a 45, it's probably the same one he used on our other victims.” Davina has now find out about Brian calling Hope before committing suicide.

“And probably the same one he was gonna use on you, Hope.” Lizzie tells Hope, she was still in shock despite trying her best to hide it.

  
  


“Uh, actually, no. He was planning something a little bit more spectacular.”

“Cell phones?”

“He was making a detonator.”

Lizzie then presses one of the phones and it surprises them that it has a pre-recorded voice message saying: “Goodbye, Amber. Goodbye, Amber.”

“He was extracting formaldehyde from the embalming fluid he stole to create cyclonite-- A near military-grade explosive.” Hope says after she came closer to the device Brian was trying to build. 

“When you profiled him, you said he was probably an arsonist.”

“I also said he liked to make a big scene. Lizzie. Schematics of the precinct.” Davina then turns to Hope to tell of what is already obvious. “He was planning on killing you and taking the whole station with you.” She then points to the floor plan that was taped on the wall. “"Amber will burn." I can see the poetry in that.”

“The terrible, homicidal poetry. I just wouldn't have profiled this guy as suicidal. I guess once we found him, it was the only way he could control the situation.”

“Well, at least Conrad saved us the trouble of a trial.”

“And the best news Hope, is, I'm out of your hair.” 

“The best news...is that it's over.” Hope says to Davina with finality.

* * *

“Hey. I thought you went to bed an hour ago.” Lizzie tells Josie the moment she sees her going down and heading to the dining area.

“I couldn't sleep. I thought the case was over?”

“Oh, it is. Wrapped up all nice and neat.”

“That's a good thing, right?”

“In a book, that's a good thing. In real life, nothing is that neat. What's got you still up?”

“Mom.”

“She’s not home yet?” 

“No.”

“Looks like mom is still having a great time with Stefan, pretty sure she’ll be home in a bit. Stefan is leaving early tomorrow for his business trip.”

And as if on cue, Caroline came in.

“Oh, good. You're both up.” She greets her daughters who were both quick on their feet to give her a hug.

“Darling, I need you to help me decide on what to take. Oh, and I need to get my bags down.”

“Why do you need bags mom?” Josie asks.

“Well, your step dad insists on letting me go with him on this business trip.”

“Lizzie, could you give us a hand?”

“A hand.”

“What?”

“The bruising pattern on the second victim-- The killer used his left hand. And... you see his handwriting?” Lizzie asks her mom and her twin as she shows them a picture of the bandage from Donald’s finger. “Look at the slope on the "4" and the loop on the "6."

“Yeah. So he was left-handed.” Caroline says.

“Well, Brian Conrad shot himself with his right hand. If the man in the window was BrianConrad, he would've shot himself on the left side. Brian Conrad didn't kill himself. Brian Conrad was murdered by the man in the window. Brian-- Brian's not our killer. The real killer was just playing with us.”

“But the evidence--” Josie was trying to point out something but Lizzie cuts her off.

“No, it was-- it was planted there to lead us to Brian. He wants us to think it's over. He wants us to drop our guard. He wants to make a big scene. Amber will burn.” Lizzie was now in a panic mode remembering what this killer wanted to happen.

“Mikaelson.” She quickly stands up, grabs her jacket and prepares to head over to Hope’s apartment.

“Oh god.”

Hudson took the detail off her place. She's alone.” Lizzie says as she tries to call Hope’s phone. “She's not picking up. Call the precinct.” Lizzie instructs her sister before she heads out. “Tell them to get over there right away. Tell them we were wrong. Tell them the killer's still alive. You lock this door behind me. Don't let anyone in.”

“Captain Hudson, please. Yes, tell him it's an emergency.” 

Meanwhile, in Hope’s apartment, the detective was taking a shower so she couldn’t get to her phone to answer Lizzie’s call. 

As soon as the taxi stopped, Lizzie quickly jumped off towards Hope’s building and she was still on the phone. However, the detective still wasn’t answering her phone. “Come on, Mikaelson. Pick up. Pick up the phone. Pick it up!”

  
  


When Lizzie was almost nearing Hope’s building, Hope finally answered her call.

“What, Saltzman?”

“It wasn't Brian Conrad. He's not the killer! The killer's still alive! The killer's still alive!” Lizzie yells as she runs as fast as she can towards Hope’s apartment.

Then suddenly something beeped inside Hope’s apartment and the message “Goodbye, Amber. Goodbye, Amber.” starts to play.

Then a loud explosion happens inside Hope’s apartment. A huge fire immediately catches on and all Lizzie could do was to scream Hope's name and watch as the fire coming from the bomb consumes her apartment unit.

**“HOPE!”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, two chapters in a week. I must be really that bored.
> 
> Anyway, thank you to everyone who are still reading this fanfic lol and as always thank you for all the kudos and comments, those are all much appreciated! :)


	8. Wrapped Up in Killing You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope, Lizzie, and Davina finally identifies the man who reported his crimes and had Hope's apartment explode.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, how's everyone doing? Hope you're all are staying healthy and safe.  
> Sorry it took me a while to update but anyway, here's chapter 8. Enjoy!

The massive sound of explosion momentarily paralized Lizzie Saltzman. She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t know if she should wait for the police and the firemen to rescue Hope. It took her a few moments before she was able to move and act again. She didn’t waste any time, she rushed to Hope’s apartment to save the girl. The girl that she likes. 

* * *

When Lizzie arrived at Hope’s apartment door, the author didn’t hesitate to open the door. She didn’t bother about what danger that she would be facing. In that moment, all that matters to her is for her to know and to find out that Hope is still alive.

“Hope, are you in there?!”

“Hope!”

“Hope!”

“Hope?

Lizzie continues to call out for Hope as she walks around the apartment in panic to search for the detective. As she walked by the bathroom, she heard some movements and she did Hope that it was the detective.

“Hope?” This time, what Lizzie heard were coughing so she hurriedly walked to where she could hear the coughing and went she got there, she saw a stark naked Hope emerging from her small bathtub. 

“Hope! You’re alive. Thank God.” The author says as she moves some of the debris that was covering her way to Hope. “Whoa. And you're naked.”

“Saltzman, turn around!”

Although Lizzie did turn around, she couldn’t help to made a comment “You know, your apartmenti is on fire. Now might not be the best time for modesty.”

“Saltzman, hand me the towel.”

“Your towels are on fire.”

“Well, what about the bathrobe?”

“Do you have anything to wear that's nonflammable?”

“Saltzman-”

“Sorry!”

“Give me your jacket.”

“Okay, okay.”

“Don’t look!”

“I'm not.”

“Don’t look.”

“I'm no-not looking.” Lizzie reassured Hope as she started to stand up to be able to wear the jacket coming from Lizzie.

“Okay.”

“All right?”

“Yeah.”

“How did you-”

“I dove into the tub just as it blew.”

“Yeah? Can you walk?”

“Ugh. Yeah, just...A little banged up.”

“Okay. Come on. Nice and easy.” Lizzie assisted Hope so she could get out of the tub easily and safe. However, as soon as they were walking towards the safety of Hope’s living room, Lizzie had noticed that the detective was limping a little.

“Are you in any pain?”

“Well, not nearly as much as you. It's killing you, isn't it?”

“What?”

“Having to wait this long to tell me how you banged down the door.” Hope teases Lizzie, she couldn’t help but to notice the worry on Lizzie’s tone so she decided that a little teasing won't hurt.

“You want me to start from the beginning?” 

After a few minutes of struggling, Lizzie was able to navigate Hope towards her bedroom to grab some of her stuff and to wear something other than Lizzie’s jacket. Thankfully, the fire explosion didn’t reach her room.

As soon as Hope was able to gather every important thing she had and had it placed in her bag, the two left her apartment. 

Outside, the police team and firemen as well as medic were already there waiting for them. One of the EMT rushed to their sides the moment he saw them and had them brought over to the ambulance to check them for any injuries and to provide them a tank of oxygen.

“FBI” Davina showed her badge when a fireman attempted to stop her.

“Over there.” He says when he saw her badge and pointed her to the ambulance where Hope and Lizzie were being taken care of.

“Mikaelson, How are you doing?”

“Yeah, I'm fine.”

“What'd you see when you came home?”

“The, uh, the doors were locked like I left them, the windows were shut and... I don't know. Nothing seemed out of place. But I don't know, You know, 'cause I thought the case was done.” Hope tells Davina while her gash in her left arm is being bandaged by the EMT.

”It's not, but you are.”

“What?”

“Until we find the right guy.”

“Wait. This is my apartment. Okay? My life and my case.”

“Okay, fine. My rules. You do what I say when I say and how I say it. And there will be a security detail on you at all times.”

“Fine.”

The women were interrupted when one of the firemen approached them. “Fire's out. You can head up now if you want.”

They both went back to the apartment to do some preliminary investigation and for Hope to check if there’s still something she can save.

“Did anybody find my father's watch?” Hope asked everyone as she retrieved her mom’s necklace which was hidden underneath the broken coffee table. 

“It's not in the hall.” Lizzie tells her after Hope had asked her too.

“The damage isn't as bad in your bedroom. But your clothes do smell like smoke and explosives.” Kaleb informs Hope after they finished checking Hope’s room.

“Yeah, I noticed when I grabbed a few of my things earlier.”

“Does anyone know if insurance pays for dry cleaning?” It’s pretty unbelievable for Hope to still make a joke given the situation. 

“I've got the blast seat here.” Davina called them.

“Well, it had to have been a small device, otherwise I would've seen it.”

“The lab will have the breakdown by morning, but that's cyclonite. Same thing we found in Brian Conrad's apartment.” Davina says as she handed the parts to one of her assistants.

“So what tipped you?”

“It wasn't me. It was Saltzman.” 

“Uh, well, our supposed killer, Brian Conrad, shot himself with his right hand, yet the man that Detective Mikaelson and I saw in the window was holding the gun in his left hand. The shot went off just as soon as he stepped out of view. He wouldn't have-- couldn't have--had time to switch hands that fast.” Lizzie explains as all eyes were on her. “Our real killer shot Brian Conrad, placed the gun in his hand, making it look like a suicide.”

“We were outside the door. We heard the shot. There's no way else out of that apartment. So if Brian Conrad didn't kill himself then our killer was in the apartment the whole time.”

“How the hell did we miss him?”

“Let's go find out.”

They all quickly went back to Brian Condrad’s apartment to investigate how they had missed him.

“You guys-Take a look in here. I think I found something.”

“What have you got, Detective Mikaelson?” 

“Maybe his hiding place.” Hope says, as she discovers a secret wall behind a closet in the bedroom that leads to a small room full of discarded items.

“Whoa.”

“Discarded clothing. The exact same outfit Conrad was wearing when we found him. Right down to a fake beard to match Conrad's.” Agent Claire noted as she and Hope scanned what inside the room.

“The killer wanted us to think he was Conrad. That's why the man that I saw in the window, the one from our eyewitness accounts, led us straight to Brian.”

“Which means the real Brian Conrad was being held hostage in his own apartment the entire case.” Davina concluded as they all went back outside.

When Hope was about to leave the room, she noticed some used duct tapes scattered on a table. “He must have been bound and duct-taped, with no idea that he was being blamed for three murders.”

“Each of our victims was carefully selected for their connection to Brian Conrad, making him

the perfect patsy.” Lizzie commented as she assisted Hope walking back out.

“The killer's a chameleon, changing his identity to get close to the victims. He becomes Brian Conrad, he becomes invisible. Nobody's looking for him. And then we come here, and we find exactly what we expect to find-- our suspect dead on the ground--case closed.”

“Meanwhile, our killer was right here, hidden in this secret room. He was here the whole time,

and we missed him.” Hope says. She still feels bad about what happened, about letting the real killer go.

“I'll get the evidence team down here, see what they can find.” Davina informs them before getting interrupted by a call coming in to Hope’s phone.

“Mikaelson.” She answers.

“You are supposed to be dead.” The caller tells her as a way of greeting.

“I'm sorry to disappoint you.” Hope answered him as she slowly put the phone on speaker for others to hear the ongoing conversation.

“It was supposed to be over, Amber. It was supposed to be done. But now... now I have to keep going.” After the killer said that, Hope, Lizzie, and Davina can hear a woman on the other line, begging for her life and yet Brian still shot her to death and after that, the line ended.

* * *

The three of them and the rest of the FBI and police team that were there at the apartment went to the location where the call was made to find the body’s victim. It was in an old alley.

“He used her cell phone and then he left it on so we could trace it.” Hope says as she found the victim’s phone next to her body, the phone was obviously used before they got there. “Gloria Rodriguez. This is her I.D. badge from a hotel in Midtown. Probably on her way home from work.” She explains further.

“Huh. Found a slug.” Lizzie declares as she finds bullets nearby.

“Letter etching?”

“No, it looks clean. The other murders were planned. This one was done out of anger, wanting to be in control.”

“All because I lived.”

“You can't blame yourself for that.” Lizzie reminds the detective as she sensed the self pity building up.

“How did he know you lived?” Davina then asked after expecting the bullet seen by Lizzie.

“He was watching the aftermath.”

“Everything about this guy's profile tells me he was watching at the other crime scenes.” 

  
“Yeah, but the first thing we did was compare crime scene photos.”

“Yeah, I know, Hope. We ran them through facial recognition. But he was there. I know he was there.”

“He wouldn't be in the crowd. He'd know that's where we'd look.” Lizzie joins in the conversation.

“No, he hides in plain sight. He's a chameleon. We didn't see him in the crowd… because he was dressed as one of us.” Davina reveals as she shows them the bullet she retrieved and it was the same as the bullet police and FBI uses.

After inspecting the area, the three of them already left to go back to the station. On the way, Hope made a quick call to her father to have him updated about her situation and to tell him that there’s nothing much to worry about her. It was a lie. Even Hope was worried for her dear life but she can’t have her father worrying for her now, she’ll leave the worrying to herself.

When they got to the station, they gathered everyone they could for them to do a research again on who this killer might be.

“Same cop, 30 photos, not one of them has a clear shot of his face. That is not a coincidence. He knew where the camera was. He knows our playbook.”

“I'm gonna get MG and Kaleb to canvass the other uniforms. Maybe they can get a description.”

“Not that it'll do any good.” Lizzie says stopping Hope on her way out of the conference room.

“The last sketch we got of this guy, He looked like Brian Conrad.”

“Okay, do you have a better idea? 'cause I am all out.” Hope admitted. This case is really making Hope feel defeated and scared, something she would never admit to anyone else. “And if we don't catch him soon, he's gonna kill again.”

“You can't take this personally.” Davina calmly reminds Hope.

“The hell I can't, Davina. He just blew up my apartment. I think that's pretty damn personal.” 

“Do you know how they caught the son of Sam?” Davina simply asks but it’s obvious she wants to make a point.

“A p-parking ticket. Berkowitz parked too close to a fire hydrant.” Lizzie answers on behalf of Hope. Lizzie was so tuned in on this case years ago.

“All we need to find is our parking ticket, and we catch this son of a bitch.” Davina reassures Hope, she knows it’s a long shot but it’s worth the shot. “As smart as he is, he's got a fatal flaw--hubris. It's not enough for him to be smart. He wants us to know it. He wants us to know he fooled us. All of his first victims…the personal injury lawyer, the dog Walker, the taxidermist, they all link back to the death of Brian Conrad's dog. How could our killer have known all the players in someone else's life?” Davina asks as she walks towards the whiteboard at the conference room, ready to take on notes for their planning.

“He must have known Brian Conrad.” Lizzie starts.

“So that's where we start. We treat Brian Conrad as the first victim in this case. And then we find out where he intersected with our killer.” Hope finally gaining a little interest about the case again. Feeling hopeful that there could be some things that they can do to resolve everything.

Hope, Lizzie, and Davina spent three hours of planning and formulating everything they can to catch this killer. It was almost midnight when they called it a day with a promise of continuing everything the following day.

* * *

As soon as Lizzie entered their house, she was immediately bombarded with hugs coming from her twin and her mother.

“Lizzie! Thank god, you’re home. I was so worried about you kid.” 

“Hey, mom. Sorry for getting you all worried. But I’m fine.”

“Where’s Hope?” Josie asked, worried about the detective.

“She went to Penelope’s, said she’s going to stay the night there.”

“I can't imagine how she survived that explosion.” Caroline says as they all sit on the couch, waiting for Lizzie’s story. “Where was she when it went off?”

“She was there. She, uh…jumped into the bathtub. The bathroom door and the cast-iron tub protected her from the blast.”

“Oh god. Poor kid. Let her know that if she ever needs anything, our door is open.”

“Liz, why is that person going after Detective Mikaelson?”

“Well, at the moment, all we have is a theory. But--but we know more now, and we have a strategy.”

“Do you think he'll come after you?” Josie asks, still worried about her twin.

“Oh, Josie. I'm gonna be fine. You are stuck with me for a long, long time.” She reassures her sister. “By the way, Hudson has someone keeping an eagle eye on our building. But all the same, we should be on the alert.”

“Of course. As much as possible we won't go out for the meantime. I’m sure your dad also alerted the police department but great to know Capt. Hudson deployed a security team for us.”

“That’s true. Anyway, I’m gonna go take a rest then go back first thing tomorrow.” Lizzie bid her sister and her mother a good night and headed to her room for a much needed shower and sleep.

* * *

The following day, when Lizzie arrived at the station she noticed that almost everyone wasn't around except for Davina’s team.

“Hey.”

“Hey. Where is everyone?” Lizzie asks as she hands Hope her cup of coffee. 

“MG and Kaleb are talking to Conrad's sister, and... Agent Claire is briefing your dad I mean the mayor.”

“Oh. I'm sure he'll be less than thrilled to learn that Conrad is just another victim.”

“You mean, you never updated your dad?”

“Oh no. I didn’t think it’s my job to update him, besides he wasn’t at home when I came home and left this morning.” Lizzie shrugs, as if telling her father about the situation isn’t such a big deal. 

“Nothing like the threat of being murdered by a serial killer to stifle tourism.”

“Yeah, and it doesn't help that everyone in the city thinks that we caught the guy.”

“Speaking of Brian Conrad, what have you found out?” Lizzie asks as they walk towards the conference room.

“34 years old, never married-- I'm going out on a limb here saying, judging from his relationship with his dog, Mr. Bumpkins, he didn't have a girlfriend.”

“Yeah, well, other than the people that we've already run down from the dog park, he doesn't even have friends.”

The two were then interrupted when MG entered the conference room, some news in hand.

“Well, Conrad's sister confirms that he was a loner. Told her that when he lost his job a couple of months ago that he spent his days emailing resumes at coffee shops that offer free internet. And other than Bumpkins, his only other joy in life was the Knicks.”

“Poor guy,” Kaleb says as his partner finished giving the details to Hope and Lizzie.

“Hope, didn’t Davina said the profile indicated that the killer hunted Conrad. If he wasn't a friend, then he must have

met up with him somewhere where people strike up a casual conversation.”

“We figure if he camped out with his laptop at a coffee shop, our killer could've sat down next to him,

and they got to talking.” 

“Hey, Kaleb, his sister said that he was a Knicks fan?”

“Yeah.”

“What's missing from these pictures?” Hope asks as she points at the photos attached on their murder board.

“Good taste? Area rug?” Lizzie started with another little joke. “Decent lighting?”

“A TV, which means he would have to walk to a local bar in order to watch the games.” Hope tells them, casually rolling her eyes to Lizzie.

“Yeah, if you're a Knicks fan, you gotta share your pain with somebody.” 

“That’s true.”

“Okay, you two take all of the coffee shops within a 5-block radius of Conrad's apartment. See if anyone remembers him talking to a customer.” Hope orders MG and Kaleb.

“Saltzman and I will take the bars. And if you keep quoting Davina I am going to turn the radio way up.”

“Je-jealous.” Lizzie teases Hope in a sing-song manner.

* * *

When they arrived downtown, the two decided to scout almost all of the bars to see if people, especially the staff, could identify the one they are looking for.

“You know, pub crawls are supposed to greet you with a smile and a shot of jager, not, "no, we've never seen the guy before. Keep moving.” Lizzie couldn’t help herself anymore in making a comment after they were rudely dismissed the third time. “This is beginning to feel pointless.”

“Back up, Saltzman, I got a feeling this place is different.” Hope says as she walks towards the bar, and when Lizzie turned around that was the time she saw the banner displayed on the counter which reads as “Home of Mystic Falls Very Own Serial Killer Brian Condrad!” Who even does that?

“It's still an ongoing investigation. So we're gonna need you to take that banner down.” Hope tells the woman at the bar, probably one of their waitresses or maybe the manager, that she really doesn’t care at all.

“I was just trying to work an angle. You should understand what it's like being a woman in a man's world.” The woman at the bar smugly replies to Hope.

“Uh, did Ben Conrad ever talk to you about the recent death of his dog?” Hope questions as they both take a seat on one of the bar stools.

“Sure. He loved to flap his gums to me about that little dropkick. One time, he cried.”

“Well, what about the other customers, has he ever talked to them?”

“He mostly drank alone and watched the games, blondie. Though a couple of weeks ago, he did strike it up with some guy.”

“Can you describe him?” The woman’s revelation really did pick Hope’s interest, feeling this could be their lead in resolving this case.

“Average looking, a bit off, like Conrad. They sat at that high top over there. I figured, hey, birds of a feather.”

“This other guy, did he ever pay with a credit card?” Lizzie asks after looking to where the woman pointed.

“The only time he ever said two words to me was the other week when he asked me to call him a cab.”

“Do you remember when?”

“I remember exactly when-- the Knicks were in overtime, and I missed the end while I was on hold.” The woman says as she now starts wiping off glasses.

“Thanks.”

After getting these informations the two finally left to work on further investigations and to check the cab company that drove the man who Brian talked with. 

When they got back to the station, Hope immediately called the cab company and luckily she was able to get information from them.

“Cab company said that they sent a taxi there at 10:45, the night of the Knicks game.”

“You got the drop-off point?”

“Yeah. West village, corner of Vick and Darwin.”

“Home?”

“You know, I bet about 50,000 people live within walking distance of that corner.”

“We could canvass local businesses.”

“For an average-looking white guy? I mean, we can't even be sure what he looks like.” 

“Looks aren't the only methods we have to identify him. We also have behavior.” The two stopped their discussion when Davina entered the conference room.

  
  


“You think you can identify him through behavior?” Lizzie asks.

“Well, originally, his behavior seemed inconsistent, but that was because he was pretending to be someone else. We know a lot more now.” Davina then pulls out the folders she has on her bag consisting of data and information about their killer. “He is a show-off, a game player with an exceptionally high I.Q. but it's not enough to be smart. He also has a pathological need to validate it, which tells me that he probably belongs to an organization like Mensa or Prometheus.” Davina then hands then some of her print out about this killer.

“He is a chameleon.”

“So we can assume that he is living under a stolen identity. And he is. Literate. He has already shown certain dispositions in his fascination with Amber Wave.” Davina continues as Hope and Lizzie browse through the hand out. “So we've drawn up a list of periodicals and magazines that he likely subscribes to.”

“I get half of these.”

“Yes, and you also kill people for a living. In your books.”

“This is a pretty wide net.”

“Vick and Darwin. And so are memberships in high-I.Q. societies. But put them all together, and sometimes we get lucky.”

“You mean like Berkowitz's parking ticket?”

“Oh, it's not always that neat. You just keep adding pieces of the puzzle until a picture emerges.”

Davina then led Hope and Lizzie to another conference where her team had set up everything for them to review other data they had gathered.

“We collated subscription information from the profiled periodicals as well as member lists from the high-I.Q. organizations” Rosza informs Hope and Lizzie as he begins to run the data through his computer. “We got 17 hits.”

“Run the names through our database.” Davina instructs him. “Most serials have some kind of indication of violent behavior--criminal or psychiatric records.”

However, Rosza felt dismay when he noticed that there were no matches. “Negative for any matches.”

“All right. Well, at least we gave it a shot.” Davina says. However, before she could make another move, Rosza stopped her.

“This one here--Chris Davis. We've got a recent driver's license, but according to his social security number, Chris Davis died six years ago.”

“He’s living under a stolen identity.” Hope says as she reads through Chris details that were shown on the smartboard. “So does it say where our dead guy supposedly lived?”

“His address puts him half a block from Vick and Darwin.” Josh informs them.

“Okay. Now I'm officially impressed.”

“Don't be, Hope. Not until he's in our custody. Let's roll.”

After their much needed briefing they all went to the location where the supposed Chris Davis is living.

When they got there, they all went into position right away, breaking into the place to catch this killer.

“Go! Go! Go!”

“Bedroom’s clear!”

“Bathroom;s clear!” 

“All clear.”

Policemen exclaimed after they had finished surveying the place.

When Davina, Hope, and Lizzie got there it was the only time that they had noticed what was inside the apartment. It was covered with ripped off pages from Lizzie’s book which were now hanging on a clothesline and some articles about her. There were photos of Hope as well and it was alarming to her because it even includes photos of her such as going inside her apartment and having dinner at a restaurant with Klaus. It also includes some news reports about Hope and Lizzie solving crimes. Hope was scared, but she made sure not to show it. Not in front of Davina and not in front of Lizzie whom she knows is also scared for her dear life.

“He's done this before.” It was all Hope could say the moment Lizzie approached her.

When Lizzie moved a little to her right side, she noticed a book which she had previously signed. The name of the book owner was Scott.

“Do you remember him?” Hope asks.

“No, but I sign hundreds of books.” Lizzie noticed a manuscript placed on one of the chairs.

“His manifesto?” Davina asks.

“His manuscript, he calls it The Dead Wave.”

“Wave examined the bullets, each of them perfectly engraved with a letter, she rearranged them like scrabble tiles until they spelled her name." Lizzie read a line from the book to see if it could lead them to something.

“A book? All of this over a damn book.” Davina says completely baffled. “He was writing about his murders long before Amber Wave.” She then picks up another manuscript on the coffee table with a title Nightly Terrors. “Looks like it's about killing prostitutes in Covington.”

“I remember that case. I thought they caught that guy?” Hope wonders as she grabs the manuscript from Davina’s hand for her to check.

“Not so much caught as found dead. He hanged himself. Another patsy just like Brian Conrad.”

“He gets away with murder. Why would he write about it? Why risk it?” Hope asks as she goes through the newspaper article that was hung on the corkboard somewhere in the living room.

“Writing is probably a symptom of his psychosis, like taking a trophy. He both memorializes the deed and distances himself from it by turning fact into fiction.”

“And then along comes Amber Wave… tailor-made for his psychosis-- one part fact, one part fiction, just like him.” 

“He must've known, by going after Mikaelson, we'd realize Brian wasn't the killer. Why tip his hand? It's part of the thrill. He needed to escalate in order to feel alive.”

“Or... he's a psychotic, obsessive-compulsive and has already decided how it has to end.”

“Agent Claire, we dusted for prints trying to get an I.D. Problem is, there aren't any.” Josh interrupted the three women by informing them about their findings. 

“That's not possible. You can't live in a place without leaving prints.” Hope countered, however Davina got a better idea as to why he didn’t have prints.

“Unless he doesn't have any. He likes to play with fire. Maybe he burned them off.”

“Well, without prints, we can't get an I.D.”

“We don't need an I.D. put this back where you found it.” Davina instructs Lizzie about the manuscript she found earlier.

However, Lizzie had a different plan. Instead of returning it, she placed the manuscript inside her coat.

“Let's un-ass this place right now. He's gotta come back sometime.”

Outside, the team have gathered everywhere to watch over the arrival of the killer. Hope, Lizzie, and Davina all stayed in an armored vehicle, surveilling whatever may take place outside.

  
  


“Agent Claire, my surveillance team is moving into position now.” Rosza informed his partner.

“Copy that. Standing by.”

Josh then radioed to the team on standby everywhere. They have scattered at every place possible for the killer to passby. “Be advised, our subject is a white male, 6'2", approximately 200 pounds. Profile suggests he's studied our tactics and has prepared for contingencies, so communicate, people. If he shows, no one, I repeat, no one is to make a move until Agent Claire gives the order.”

“Man, it's all here-- the engraved bullets, the cat-and-mouse phone calls, the cipher. Only it's-- it'sAmber Wave investigating, and she's always one step behind him.” Lizzie says as she stops from reading the manuscript she took with her.

“Saltzman, what part of "un-ass" don't you understand?” 

“All of it.” 

Davina then tells her, “For future reference, it means, "get the hell out and don't take anything."

“Okay, got it. Nice.”

“Is she always like this?”

“Saltzman, has the attention span of a cocker spaniel.”

“Mm. And the loyalty...the way she follows you around. From what I've observed, this unorthodox partnership…works well for you.”

“For now.”

“How about you Davina, is it enough for you to hop on a Learjet catching serial killers across the country?”

“I'd be lying if I said it was easy.”

“How do you manage?” Hope knows she’s getting a little personal with her questions to Davina, but when you’re stuck in a car waiting for your killer, what topic would have other than this?

“You miss a few birthdays and you make a lot of phone calls. My husband, Kol, tucks her in every night, tells her that mommy's off slaying dragons. The trick to this kind of operation is having enough personnel in play to take the target down, but not so many that he can smell a trap, which is why we have to get our people to go downwind.”

It was so easy for Davina to talk about her family but it was easier for her to get back to work as she noticed the guy on the rooftop on the building across the street.

“Rosza, tell our guy on the roof to find another spot. I can see him from the street.”

“Say that again?”

“The guy on the roof, southeast corner. The one with binocs.”

“We don’t have anybody up there.”

“It's him. All units, be advised, we have contact. Southeast corner of Bedford and Darwin. Subject is on the roof.” The subject was quick. He immediately noticed Davina and Hope’s team.

“We're blown. We're blown. All units, go hot now. I repeat. Subject is not in sight.”

When Hope was about to follow Davina, she was told to stay in the van instead of joining her team.

“Stay in the van. You're the target.”

“Now you know what it's like for me.” Lizzie commented as she witnessed how Hope was sent to the bench by Davina.

The next scenarios played out very quick. Everyone was running around the entire street to catch the killer. Hope and Lizzie watch on the cameras inside the van.

“That's him. He must have jumped the rooftops. He's getting away.”

“Mikaelson, wait!” However, it was already too late for Lizzie to go after Hope as she was quick to slam the door into her face.

When Hope came face to face with him, she immediately pointed her gun at him.

“MFPD! On the ground, now!” The killer just smirked at Hope and it felt like everything was slowing down until he decided to run.

“Get down! Stop! Stop! Police” Hope continued to chase him and to tell him to stop but he never did. Their chase continued until the underground train station, people were shoved here and there. Unfortunately, Hope was not able to catch him as he rode the train before it went off, bidding Hope goodbye with a finger gun.

After the chase, they all went back to the station where they were able to scan the surveillance camera from the train station.

“Freeze image. Zoom in. Run it.”

“Running facial recognition. Scott Dunn.”

“Gotcha you smug jackass.” 

Rosza then proceeded into reading his data that were detected from their system.

“Foster child, sealed juvie record, 3-year stint in a bay area psychiatric institute and a single arson conviction.”

“Where he burns his hands in a fire.”

“He hit all the cliches.”

Rosza then continues reading the data after Davina and Lizzie input their short findings. “Last seen February 25, 2004. Six years ago, he simply disappeared.”

“I want every bit of research you have on this guy on my desk, half an hour.” Davina orders Josh as she signals to Hope for them to talk privately.

“You know, I'll have my guys contact Dunn's family in case he reaches out.” Hope informs Davina as soon as they were out of earshot from everyone else. However, Davina had something else on her mind.

“You're out.”

“I'm sorry. What?”

“I told you to stay in the van.”

“I just broke this case.”

“I need people backing me I can trust.”

“Whoa. Hold on--”

“Sorry detective, you’re off the case.”

And just like that, Davina left and Hope went to the captain’s office to ask for his back up on having her back in the case.

“She's got jurisdiction, Mikaelson. There's nothing I can do.”

“Sir, this is my case. He's coming after me. Like it or not, I'm already on the front line.”

”You and Saltzman found him. They've frozen his financials. They've alerted T.S.A. His face is all over the news. We've got him cornered.” The captain tries his best to make Hope understand the situation without hurting her ego that much.

“And you're the one who taught me that when you have a criminal cornered, that that's when they're

the most unpredictable.”

“Yes, and that's also when they make mistakes. He does something stupid, and we will take him down. And you've been running flat out for days. You need to go home and get some sleep.” The captain reminds Hope that she hasn't fully rested on the night of the explosion.

“Sir, I don't have a home.” 

“Yes, you do. It's a secured building with an extra bedroom, with people who care about you, with a federal detail at the door. It's the safest place in the city.” Lizzie finally made her presence be known by letting Hope that she can stay with her and her family.

“Thank you, Saltzman, but I couldn't.”

“You can and you will.” When Lizzie says this, Hope sends her killer looks on Lizzie’s way, still not budging on the author’s proposal.

“Detective, I took that security off of your apartment, and that gave him an opportunity to get to you, and I'm not gonna make the same mistake twice. Consider it an order.” Captain Hudson tells her, still feeling guilty about the fact that Dunn was able to enter Hope’s apartment that night that he took off the security from her apartment.

Still not approving the order given to her by her captain, Hope begrudgingly went home with Lizzie to her apartment much to Caroline and Josie’s delight. Josie on the other hand has contacted her girlfriend to bring Hope some spare clothes which she can use- clothes that Hope had left in Penelope's apartment.

When they got to the casa Saltzman, dinner was already prepared by Caroline and the mother in her immediately took Hope in her wing that she had even prepared the spare bedroom for the detective and made sure that everything she might be needing from food down to her toiletries were prepared by Caroline herself. 

Stefan had made a promise to let the precinct double the security of both Hope and Lizzie and even Klaus who stays out of Mystic Falls.

Hope politely thanked everyone and after the dinner, each of them had settled to their own business for the night while Hope and Lizzie stayed in the kitchen for a much needed drink.

“Well, who would've thought that I would be homeless and caseless in one day?” Hope says after she received the bottle of beer handed to her by Lizzie.

“I know I'm the queen of going rogue, but you were right to chase after Dunn.” Lizzie says as she sits across Hope. 

“And Agent Claire was right to kick me off the case. I would've done the same thing if I was in her spot. I'm too close to it.”

“I'm sure after all this, you're a little sorry you let me follow you around.”

“No, not this. All the other annoying things that you do, but not this. Hmm.” Hope knows that Lizzie would dive into her guilt trip again knowing that it was her works that inspired the killer to commit these crimes so she made a quick comment on letting the author know that this doesn’t affect their partnership. “What about you? Are you sorry that you ever wrote "Amber Wave"?” Hope asked, curious. 

“The way I look at it now, if it wasn't for Amber Wave, this guy would've just gone on killing because he wouldn't have met anyone smart enough to catch him.” When Lizzie noticed Hope smiling about what she just said, she quickly added, “I'm speaking, of course, about special Agent Claire.” And this earned her a piece of tissue being thrown into her face by the detective.

“Night, Saltzman.” Hope says as she stands up to head over to the guest room.

Back on the station, Agent Claire has just gotten off from work and was walking towards her car in the parking area as she talks to her daughter over the phone.

“First thing in the morning, I'll check your homework, okay? It's time for you to get some sleep. Okay? Aw, I love you, too, sweetie. Good night.” After ending her call with her daughter, Davina went inside her car. As she was about to start the car, she heard someone at the back call out her name, a gun pointed to the back of her head.

“Hello Davina.” Scott greets the agent.

  
  


* * *

Hope woke up pretty early the next day and had decided to prepare breakfast for her hosts. She cooks varieties of breakfast food from omelets, pancakes, waffles, and bacon.

“I just woke up, and literally smelled the coffee and the bacon.” Lizzie comes into the kitchen unannounced only wearing her nightgown, hair still a mess from sleep. Hope would be lying if she does not find this scene adorable, her cooking breakfast and Lizzie coming out from the bedroom with a bed head. _Focus, Mikaelson or you’re going to burn the rest of the bacon._

“Well, she cooks. Mm.” Caroline came in to join them in the kitchen, already wearing her gym clothes. For a mother of two 20 something, Caroline sure does keep a good body for her age.

“Actually, my mom was an amazing cook. She used to make Sunday brunch. And I would get alot of choices.” Hope had reminisced her childhood with her late mother, Hayley.

“Wow, that's funny. Every Sunday, my mom would have me make her an ice pack and a bloody Mary.”

“Don’t listen to her.” Caroline defends. But what Lizzie was referring to was during the time she was a mess when her then husband, Alaric decides to take off somewhere and leaves her with their twins. “That only happened twice...Tops.”

Hope’s phone then rang that she had to excuse herself from the conversation she was having with Lizzie and Caroline.

“Mikaelson. Okay, I'll be right there.” Hope then puts down her phone and turns back to Lizzie who was scouting a pancake by now. “Saltzman, that was Agent Rosza, Davina never made it home last night.”

The two then quickly got ready to go to the precinct to find out what could have happened to Davina. The moment they got there, they went to the street a couple of blocks away from the station together with Rosza to try and trackdown every moment Davina made before she got into her car.

“She left the precinct just after 9:00. Husband said she never made it to her hotel.”

“What about the car?”

“Stationary at this location since the transmitter was activated 20 minutes ago. Our vehicle security tech said this was his way in.” Rosza explains to Hope and Lizzie.

“So he was already in the car waiting for her when she got in.”

“Her purse is still in here.” Hope observed as she checked on Davina’s car. “There's no bullet hole. Medium velocity spatter. So he leans in from behind, she elbows him in the nose, he recoils…and a blood trail flies from that direction.” Hope tried her best to reenact whatever it was that could have taken place last night, a blood trail was noticeable on the roof of the car.

“She took her shot.” Rosza said when he also checked the car.

Lizzie then called out to them on the other side of the car. “And left us some bread crumbs.” She said as she pointed to the blood trail on the road.

“Here’s another one.” Rosza pointed on the west direction from where he is standing.

“And another one here.” Hope then analyses the movements. “His nose is still bleeding, but he has Davina at gunpoint. And he brings her to here, where there's a car waiting.”

“Where there's a car waiting.” Lizzie asked, looking around for traces.

“There's tire treads. Let's run down reports of all stolen vehicles from the past 24 hours.” Hope says before answering her phone.

“Mikaelson.”

“There's nothing like the bond between girlfriends, is there, Amber?” It was Dunn who called Hope. “You must really miss her.”

“Where is she?”

“Safe for now.”

“If you hurt her, I will--”

“Well, that all depends on you, doesn't it? This is your story Amber, not hers.” Dunn tells Hope, reminding her that all this happens because of her. “She's just an extra. The showdown only works if it's between you and me. Come to the Barn Park Ferry Terminal at midnight tonight, Amber. And come alone... or she dies.”

“How can I be sure she's still alive?”

“I'll send you an email.”

* * *

After their preliminary investigation, they all went back to the station to plan on how they can rescue Agent Claire and true to his words, Dunn had sent them an email with a video clip of Davina tied up to a chair.

“I don't care if it's your story Detective, I'm bringing her back alive.” Josh Rosza says. He had been too worried about his partner and it’s making his blood boil knowing that she is in the hands of a serial killer.

“It's not my story. It's his. And if Agent Claire was here, she'd say the same thing.”

“Whatever he's got planned, it's a trap.”

“If I don't show up, she dies.”

“But if you do, you both die.” Lizzie reminds the stubborn detective.

“We need to get to him before the exchange.”

“We traced the email's I.P. address to an internet café in Midtown. Not that it helps us find her.” MG informs everyone, and all of them went back to the computer where they had watched the video and had it played again.

“There's no reflective surfaces and the windows are all blacked out.”

“Not all of them. Look. What's out that window?”

“Agent Rosza, if you don't mind me rejoining this investigation, I suggest we take this party next door.”

Rosza didn’t for once hesitate in letting Hope join again, he knows that she can be a great help in rescuing his partner. Inside the conference room where the smart board was located, they run again the video of Davina to study where the building is.

“Zoom in. What are those buildings?” Rosza asks out loud.

“Bridge towers.”

“Call up all the Bridges in the city, see if our partial view fits.” Hope orders MG and Kaleb.

“Ah, the whitestone. That means we're looking South and east.” Lizzie suggests.

“But we still need another coordinate to find him on the axis.”

“Play the audio again, but this time without the voices.” Lizzie had suggested once again. “And get rid of

all the traffic as well.”

They then all listened to the noises in the video and were able to identify subway noise.

“That's a subway, and not just any subway. Those are elevated tracks.”

“I'll pull up the subway map. That's the I.R.T. Pelham line.”

“What's the stop that intersects?” Rosza then runs the subway map to detect the exact coordinates of where Davina had been taken.

“Zion Avenue station. Got it. 1756 48th Avenue.” Hope then instructs her team to be ready. “Have a hostage rescue team meet us there.”

After gearing up, they now all went to the location, preparing to rescue Agent Claire.

“Alpha team in place. Standing by.” One of the rescue team members radioed to the team.

“This is the place. Building's supposed to be abandoned. Thermal confirms a hot spot on the fourth floor.” Rosza informs Hope as they standby inside the van. “That's where he's holding her. My team's gonna enter on this blind side of the building.”

Suddenly, Lizzie realized that something isn’t kicking in at all.

“This is wrong.”

“What’s wrong, Saltzman?”

“I feel like Princess Leia when the "Millennium Falcon Escaped the "Death Star"-- it's too easy." 

“What do you mean by too easy?”

“I mean the sneak peek out the window, waiting to record the message just as the train was going by. He led us here. You remember how perfect everything was with Conrad?” Lizzie asks both Hope and Josh.

“Yeah, I got the trap memo, too. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna sit on my ass and do nothing. That's my partner up there.” 

“She'll be dead the moment you breach that door.” Lizzie counters, she knows she’s right and she needs to let Josh listen to her.

“That's why we're not gonna breach. Hostage exchange goes down at midnight. That means he has to move her before then. We move in quietly, take position…and then as soon as Dunn comes out... I'll put him down...like the rabid dog he is.”

Rosza had already set his mind in rescuing his partner and didn’t listen to Lizzie. It was about 30 minutes before midnight when he finally left the van and joined his team outside to go and get Davina. Hope and Lizzie waited inside the van, they watched on the camera the team head towards the building, all geared up and ready to do the exchange.

“I don't know how he's doing it, but he's not up there.” Lizzie was still convinced that Rosza and his team went to the wrong building.

“And what are you basing that on?” Hope rumored the author, seeing if she could get a better understanding as to why she thinks they are doing the wrong thing.

“I don't know how I know. I just…”

“You just what? Saltzman, you and I have known each other long enough for me to know, that sometimes your silly theories are right. So if you have a reason to believe that he's not up there, then you need to tell me why, now.”

“Just because...It's not how I would write it.”

“What happens in your version?”

“He lets us think we found him to lure us here. Lets the FBI converge on the building, only he's not in there.”

“Where is he?”

“Nearby, watching. Watching it all unfold. He's got something planned. If it were me, I'd wait until they all got inside, got settled into position...and then I'd blow the building.”

“Where is he watching from?”

“I don't know.” Lizzie shrugs from where she is seated. “He wants to show he's smarter than us. So he'll be somewhere close by and out of the way.”

“Saltzman, if it were you, where would you be watching from?”

“I wouldn't be watching from this building where they are. I'd be watching from here.” Lizzie says as she stands up and points to the building on the camera, right across where Rosza and his team went in.

“Come on.” The two then went out of the van and before anything else, Lizzie wore her vest with “writer” written across it’s chest, it always made Hope smile at how adorable Lizzie looked wearing a bulletproof vest. 

They carefully climbed on the fire exit of the other building and before getting in, Hope handed Lizzie a gun.

“You want me to hold it while you tie your shoe?” Lizzie asked, this was the first time Hope is letting her use her extra service gun.

“No, I want you to take it, just in case. You know how to use one right?”

“Uh yes.”

The two of them continued their journey inside the other building. When they got into the only unit with an open door, they could hear Dunn talking to Davina. 

“I'm almost sad to see it come to an end, Agent Claire. You know, I'd expected more from you.” He tells her, thankfully, Davina saw Hope and she felt safe despite still being tied up on a chair.

“It’s him.” Hope tells Lizzie as they carefully plan on how they could take him down. “I'm gonna draw him away. You free Agent Claire and get some help.” Hope whispered to the author. “Saltzman.. You're my only backup. Okay go, and be careful.” 

The two then parted ways according to what they had planned.

“I thought it was me you were after.”

“Amber..You came.”

“Put your hands up, Dunn, or I will take you down.” It surprises Hope that Scott Dunn immediately followed her orders.

“I've got a better idea, Amber. Why don't you put your gun down? Or I'll detonate the 19 pounds of cyclonite that I have in the building across the street...turning Agent Rosza and his entry team into mist.” Dunn slowly walked towards where Hope was standing as he continued with his speech. “If you shoot me, Amber, it might cause my thumb to tense up and push the button. Do you really want to take that chance?” He asks threateningly.

Hope had to lie in order to distract him and for him not to think that Rosza and his team were there in the other building.

“They're not in the building anymore. I only sent them in there to throw you off.”

“You’re lying.” Dunn walked closer again towards Hope.

“Why would they be in there if I knew that you were in here? Face it, Dunn. I beat you. Amber Wave won.”

After hearing this from Hope, it made him angrier that he quickly reached for his gun on the table, however Davina was quicker as she was able to kick and knock down the table and Hope started shooting him, only for him to run away. 

When Hope chased after him, Lizzie took this as an opportunity to show herself and to rescue Davina. She quickly removes the duct tape on her mouth.

“Where's my people?” Davina asks as soon as the duct tape is removed. 

“Across the street, sitting on 19 pounds of cyclonite.”

“She was bluffing?!”

“She was profiling.” Lizzie quickly defends Hope. 

“Go help her. He could flank her. Go! Go! I've got this.” Davina then let herself be free from the rope that was tying her.

Lizzie quickly runs towards where Hope and Dunn were headed.

“Dunn... give it up.” Hope carefully walks to the direction she last saw Dunn. “Nobody has to die.”

However, when Hope turned around to look for him on the other side, Dunn took this as an opportunity to jump her from behind, earning her to drop on her and freeing her gun from her hands. Hope then puts up a fist fight with a man almost twice her size. She had received punches here and there. The commotion had led to Lizzie’s attention.

While Hope was on the floor, Dunn held out his gun to Hope, aiming for her. “That's how all my stories end, with someone else dead.”

Thankfully, for a first timer in using a gun, Lizzie’s reflexes were enough to shoot him on his left arm causing him to topple down and drop the gun he was holding, when it fell off, he quickly dove to reach for it but it was already too late for him as Davina stepped on it.

“I believe this is your collar.” Davina tells Hope, letting her know that he can cuff him now.

“This isn't over, Wave.”

“It’s not Wave. It’s Mikaelson.” Hope says before telling him his Miranda rights. “You have the right to remain silent...so shut the hell up.”

Hope then pushed him towards Davina to bring him out.

“Thank you.” Hope thanks the agent for saving her.

“Ditto.”

“Hell of a shot, Saltzman.”

“I was aiming for his head.” Lizzie was still a little in shock after shooting Dunn. 

* * *

On the next day, Hope and the rest of the team went to report to the captain everything that had happened the previous night.

After their short meeting, Hope went to look for Agent Claire, her team are now getting ready to leave Mystic Falls.

“Agent Claire, I was just writing you a note.”

  
  


“Dunn is being transported to the tombs, where he'll enjoy his stay in the intensive management unit with the state's most dangerous criminals.” Davina informs Hope as the detective approaches her.

“Well, he's getting his 15 minutes. That's what he wanted this whole time.”

“Yeah, but it'll be on our terms.”

Hope then remembers something she had thought the moment she and Lizzie had gotten home, so she finally puts down her guard and goes to be honest with the agent.

“I want you to know that I learned a lot from you on this one.”

“You did most of the heavy lifting. Honestly, the thing that impressed me most is that you came in with Saltzman.”

“You know, some people would call that foolish.”

“You made a tough decision on your feet, used the resources at hand. I'd say that's heroic and somewhat poetic. In the end, Dunn did actually face Amber Wave. She is, after all, part you, part Saltzman. Scares about you, Hope. You may not see it. You may not be ready to. But she does.” The moment Davina tells her this, as if on reflex Hope went to the direction where Lizzie was standing, talking with MG and Kaleb.

“Yeah, well, the situation with Saltzman is... complicated.”

“Ah. Well, Detective Mikaelson, it's been a pleasure.”

“We’ll see you around.” The detective and the agent shook their hands just in time for Lizzie to join them.

“Saltzman, Thank you for your help.” Davina also took her hand to shake it with appreciation and gratitude. “You are a valuable asset to Detective Mikaelson’s team.”

“Well, it would be great if you would call her and remind her of that from time to time.” Lizzie jokes to Davina before she leaves and exits the station.

When Hope and Lizzie were already alone, they both sat on their respective seats on Hope’s desk. Lizzie then puts a gift in front of the detective.

“Wow. What's this?”

“Open it.”

“My father's watch.” The watch has been repaired and looking like how it used to be. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome. I found it in the wreckage, had it fixed.” Lizzie stared longingly at Hope while she wore the watch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments and kudos are very much appreciated. So thank you!


	9. NOT A CHAPTER

Hello Everyone! 

Hope all is well with you. 

I am writing to let you know that I am putting this fanfic on hold because I want to focus more on myself and because I already lost my interest with Legacies. Anyway, who knows one of this days, I'd come back with an update. So until then.

Take care.

With Love,   
natgayvanlis


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